


Merman Stiles: The beginning

by FeMayden



Series: Merman Stiles Chronicles [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: After Paige, Angst, Dead Sheriff Stilinski, Derek Is Sixteen, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Mention of Possible Mpreg, Mentions of Erica Reyes, Minor Violence, No Kate Argent/Derek Hale, No actual mpreg, Peter is a good uncle, Some mentions of rape, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski's Name is Mieczysław, Teenage Derek, mentions of Isaac Lahey - Freeform, mer!stiles, minor torture, no actual rape, stiles and derek are the same age, stiles is sixteen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-03-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 15:19:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 46,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9663320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeMayden/pseuds/FeMayden
Summary: Stiles has been living in the little lake a mile from the Hale House for three years now, after the untimely death of his mother and the unsolved murder of his father.  Derek is his only friend, the only one to come spend time with him after Talia Hale banned her pack from coming near him.  Derek has never been good at listening, and really, Stiles wouldn't have it any other way.  There are struggles ahead, but Stiles knows with Derek at his side, they can face anything.  Even Argent's stalking about their home.





	1. In the beginning, there was fire and ash

**Author's Note:**

> Stiles and Derek are both sixteen in this, the Hale family is alive and I took some liberties with it cause we're never really given any solid details on the family members. Claudia was a mermaid, John was the sheriff, I'm going to try and cover as much as I can, but I'm also not positive where I want this story to go yet.

Stiles had just gotten settled beneath the little overhang he liked to sleep under, tail partially submerged in cool mud and eyes already closed when an explosion rocked the preserve. The teen broke the surface of his lake a moment later, amber eyes scanning the darkness as the sharp scent of burning wolf's-bane hit his nose and he could just distinguish the ephemeral lines of smoke against the midnight sky. Stiles twisted in the water, looking around his little clearing for anything that had been disturbed, no one but the Hale's and his own father knew this lake was out here, but if someone was going after werewolf's, merpeople probably weren't far down on their list of targets.

There was a crash and a curse that was more sobbed than said from the treeline, Stiles turned toward the noise, sinking down in the water as far as he could go without completely submerging himself. Another crack of a branch snapping echoed over the water, and the teen flinched, he was pretty much defenseless out here, especially if something had happened to the Hale's, but no one should have even known where to look. Stiles glanced over his shoulder, back toward the ever increasing cloud of smoke and wondered if anyone was coming to help.

“Stiles!” The merman yelped as his name was shouted, turning back to look towards the trees once more.

“Derek?”

“Stiles are you okay?” The beta werewolf tripped out of the forest, twigs and leaves decorating his hair and clothes, a scratch healing beneath his right eye as he scanned the lakes surface.

“I'm fine, what's going on?” Stiles quickly swam to the water's edge, digging his webbed fingers into the mud and pebbles to yank himself partially out of the water.

“Kate, one of our teachers at school, she-” the dark haired boy shook his head, brow furrowed as he crouched down beside the brunette. “We thought maybe she was interested in joining the pack, but she's actually a hunter. She set the house on fire, everyone is in there.”

Both teens looked towards the house, it was roughly a mile from Stiles' little lake, and even though it wasn't visible through the thick foliage, the ever expanding mass of smoke sure was. Stiles reached out, wrapping cool fingers around Derek's warm wrist, squeezing gently, the beta gave a wane smile, hazel eyes red rimmed in the scant moonlight and the little scratch from earlier all but gone from his pale cheek.

“Do you trust me?”

“What? Of course I do, what kind of question is that Stiles?” Derek frowned, impressive eyebrows drawn down and the barest gleam of electric blue in his eyes.

“Its just, I need you to get in the water with me. There's a gate at the side of the lake, the tunnel beyond it leads to your house, but I'm not strong enough to open it on my own. Talia and Peter sealed it shut when I got here, they didn't want me getting into the house.” Stiles released the other boy, twisting his hands together nervously as he looked down at the murky water lapping at his tail.

“There's a tunnel from the lake to my basement?” The beta's brow furrowed even more, lips pursed as he looked at Stiles curiously.

“From what I've been able to learn, this lake wasn't always this deep. The Hale's had a few escape tunnels built, in case of this kind of thing, but over the years the lake got bigger and bigger, and now this particular tunnel is about six feet under water.” Stiles looked out over the water, wondering what his friend was going to say.

“Alright, what do you need me to do?” Derek sat back on his heels, sneakers covered in mud as he carefully balanced himself on the uneven ground.

“I-Really?” Stiles whipped around, tail lifting and speckling both of them with muddy water. “Oh shit, sorry!” The merman lifted his hands, saw that they were covered in mud too and lowered them to his lap quickly. “Sorry.”

“Stiles, its fine. So you need me to try and open the gate?” Derek wrapped wide fingers around the merman's slender shoulder, squeezing gently.

“Yeah, I'll help obviously, but I'm just not strong enough to do it on my own.” Stiles twisted slightly at the waist to look up into clear hazel eyes, taking in the other teen's determined expression.

“Okay.” Derek stood up, shrugging off his sweater and tossing it over a log he'd moved to the edge of the lake years prior. The beta had never gotten into the water with Stiles before, his mother forbidding it of her entire pack. Stiles had never questioned it, or asked Derek to break that rule before, knowing that Talia Hale didn't like him even if he had no idea why.

“Are you sure?” Stiles kept his voice low, face turned away as the dark haired boy tugged his t-shirt over his head, making the thick, dark strands stand on end even more than the twigs and leaves had a moment ago.

“Why wouldn't I be? I know what my mother says about you, but she's wrong. You aren't going to hurt me.” Derek shook his head, sitting down on the log to untie his shoes and pull them and the socks beneath off.

“Its just, you've heard of the legends, right?”

“You going to kiss me first?” A dark eyebrow arced high as Derek stood back up, undoing his belt with steady hands.

“What? Of course not!” Stiles practically shrieked, leaning back in the shallows with a scandalized look on his narrow face, the frills at the tops of his ears twitching and his cheeks flushing richly.

“You don't have to sound so offended Stiles, sheesh. Way to ruin a guys confidence.” The beta chuckled as Stiles hissed, amber eyes narrowed and long, webbed fingers digging into the mud and pebbles at the edge of his lake.

“That's not-. Dammit Derek, you know what I mean.” The merman shook his head, looking away as dark washed jeans hit the dirt a moment later. “You know good and well how attractive you are, don't even start. I just meant-”

“I know what you meant Stiles, its fine. I trust you, I know you won't hurt me.” Derek stepped up to the waters edge in only a pair of dark boxers, stance relaxed as he looked down at the other teen. “Lets get a move on, my whole family is in there.”

“Right, okay.” Stiles shuffled himself into deeper water, ignoring the blush still going strong on his cheeks and the back of his neck as he tried not to look at the well built boy beside him.

Derek stepped into the lake with ease, as if it was something he did every day instead of for the very first time, broad shoulders relaxed and expression calm as the cool water swirled up around his calves and then his thighs. Once Stiles was deep enough to actually swim he turned and held out a hand to the other boy, raising his eyebrows with a tiny smirk tugging at his thin lips. The beta took hold of the narrow, webbed hand with ease, giving a soft smile in return.

“You're going to have to hold your breath, you took swim class in school right?” Stiles gently moved them into deeper water before turning them to the side of the lake where the gate was located.

“Yeah, I can only hold my breath for a little over a minute though, I like basketball more than swimming, less girls staring at me all the time.” Derek shrugged, both teens rolling their eyes and chuckling quietly.

“Okay, I'll keep track of time for you. You aren't going to be able see much if at all down there, its a different kind of darkness than the one your used to, just, don't panic, okay?” Stiles met chromatic eyes with uncertainty, fingers flexing around Derek's.

“I trust you Stiles.” The beta's voice was low and soothing, his smooth chin tipping down in a small nod. “Come on, it'll be okay.”

“Alright, alright. Ready?” Stiles smiled widely, sharp teeth on display before he flipped them under the water with ease after Derek had drawn in a deep breath.

The merman pulled them down swiftly, flicking his tail firmly until his reaching hand brushed over rock and mud, amber eyes glowing minutely in the darkness as he shifted them a little farther down. Stiles pulled the beta closer along his side, grabbing a sturdy wrist and leading Derek's right hand up to the bars of the gate. Derek took over from there, lifting his left hand and wrapping it around another bar, planting his feet to either side of the heavy metal after a little shifting about to get a sturdy stance.

Derek's shoulders bulged and strained as he reared back, teeth grit and eyes an impressive shade of bright blue in the darkness as he pulled hard. Stiles swam closer, looking over the hinges critically, smiling widely as they bowed outward steadily before he turned and gently coaxed Derek back to the surface.

“Is it, doing, any good?” The beta panted out, chest heaving as he filled his aching lungs.

“It looks like it, you okay?” Stiles held onto the other boy tightly so Derek didn't have to keep himself afloat.

“Fine, just a little harder, than I thought it would be.” Derek murmured, eyes still bright as he squinted at Stiles through the water dripping down his face.

“Okay. Ready?” The merman inquired gently, Derek just jerked his head in a nod, letting Stiles pull him back under without comment.

Derek got back into position quickly, wide fingers locking around cold metal and feet pressing into the heavy stone that supported the gate on either side. The beta strained backward, eyes squeezed shut and fangs bared in a feral snarl as he pulled harshly. Stiles moved closer to the hinges and then quickly checked the thick padlock on the other side. The metal was bending, but Derek looked like he was in pain. The thick scent of blood filled Stiles nose as he flicked his tail, amber eyes going wide as he saw the red tendrils floating up from the other teens hands. Stiles quickly gathered Derek up, yanking him to the surface and examining his hands. 

“Stiles, what the hell?” Derek growled, blue gaze furious and fangs on full display as he glared at the merman.

“You were hurting yourself.” Stiles snarled back, his own amber eyes gleaming in the darkness as he held up the werewolf's hands in accusation.

“I'll heal you idiot, my family is trapped in a burning house, let me get back down there.” Stiles hissed but yanked the beta back down to the gate, silently furious at his self-sacrificing friend. The gate clattered to the bottom of the lake a moment later, Derek grinning widely as he kicked back to the surface and turned to look at Stiles as he came up as well.

“Alright, get back on shore and stay safe, those hunters might still be around.” Stiles lifted himself higher in the water, looking around the clearing critically before focusing back on the other boy.

“You don't want me to come with you?” Derek frowned, arms held out to his sides as his feet kicked slowly to keep him afloat.

“No, its nearly a mile to your house, and I don't want to risk you any more than I already have. I have an idea, but it might not work, if it doesn't I'll try something else.” Stiles shrugged, refusing to meet those clear hazel eyes.

“Stiles?”

“You won't like it, so I'm not going to say it unless I have to, okay? Just trust me, I'm going to do everything I can to save them.” Stiles gently pushed at the teen's chest with one hand, pointing toward shore with the other. “Get dressed, I'll be back as soon as I can.”

“Alright, be careful Stiles.” Derek didn't argue any further, simply turned around and swam back to shallow water, stumbling slightly as he gained his feet on the slippery rocks.

“Graceful, Hale,” Stiles called with a grin, waving before he dove back under, arrowing into the opening with ease. The tunnel was only about four feet from top to bottom, maybe two feet across, Stiles really didn't want to think about how uncomfortable it would be to try and walk through it. The teen swam hard, tail whipping from side to side viciously, arms pinned tight to his sides and head tilted back to watch in front of him. Stiles slowed as the tunnel curved upward steadily, the faint grooves of stairs visible along the bottom, hoping that the water went all the way to the top, otherwise this was going to be a lot harder than he'd thought.

“Stiles?!” A voice echoed down to him as soon as his head broke the surface, Peter Hale was carefully lowering children down into the passageway that was half flooded, his young wife gathering them around her with soothing words. “How did you get in here?”

“Derek opened the gate for me. Why aren't you lot leaving?” Stiles flung himself up onto the stairs, squinting in the smoke heavy air as he looked over the terrified children.

“Mountain ash on all the doors and windows, even the second story, we can't get out. Derek's alright?” Peter handed a toddler down to his wife, his eyes gold in the dim space.

“He's fine, scared and a little sore from getting the gate off, but he was fine when I left him at the lake. Can you get upstairs?” Stiles grabbed the edge of the hole that lead to the tunnel, heaving himself up to peer around at the basement curiously.

“Yes, but it won't do us any good. We can't even open the damn doors, this is the safest place right now, Talia and Nathan are making sure no on else is upstairs, they'll be down shortly. What are you doing here?” Peter's face was stern as he looked over the assembled Hale family, there were ten people huddled around the passageway, most of them children.

“I came to help. Can you carry me?”

“What? Why?” The beta narrowed his eyes suspiciously, arms crossing over his chest as Laura stepped closer, her own eyes bright gold.

“Because mountain ash doesn't work on me, I might be able to open the doors.” Stiles pulled himself all the way up onto the concrete floor, looking up at the two calmly. “I'm offering to help, I don't know if it will work, but its worth a try, right?”

“Uncle Peter, can you carry him?” Laura's voice was soft, a little hoarse from all the smoke as she stared the merman down.

“Dammit, Talia will have my head for this.” The older man snarled as he bent and scooped the teen up with a grunt. “You're heavier than you look,” Peter muttered as Stiles lifted his tail high, not wanting the beta to trip on his delicate flukes that tipped the over five feet of sinuous muscle that was his tail.

“I'm all muscle, what do you expect?” The teen snarked as Peter turned and hurried up the stairs, head ducked to try and avoid as much of the thickening smoke as possible. “Where did the fire start?”

“The back porch, they're burning wolf's-bane as well, we're all weak and out of control. The children can't hold their shifts in the best of times, but now all of them are wolfed out and making a mess of each other in their fear. Maria is doing a good job at keeping them calm, but it won't last for much longer.” Peter shook his head as they approached the front door, expression grim as he came to a stop almost three feet from the heavy wood. “I can't get any closer.”

“Alright, just toss me gently?” Stiles pulled his arms down from where they'd been looped around the beta's neck, glancing over the distance critically. “Gently, please.”

“Its going to hurt no matter how gentle I am.” Peter commented tightly as he crouched down slightly before heaving upward, arms lifting quickly.

Stiles hit the wood floor hard, wincing as his flukes smacked against a wall and his hip connected smartly with the door. “Ow,” the teen muttered before lifting his hands and yanking at the doorknob savagely, webbed fingers slipping over the metal uselessly for a moment before catching. Stiles twisted hard, jerking at the handle roughly before scrambling at the lock and trying again. “It won't open!”

“What do you mean?” Peter snarled, hands curled into fists at his sides and gold eyes narrowed.

“I mean its damaged somehow, I'm not as strong as you guys, I can't just rip it off. Dammit!” Stiles smacked the door in anger before turning and dragging himself back over to the waiting beta. “Get me back down to the tunnel, I'm drying out.”

“What the hell are you doing in my house?” Talia Hale snarled as she leaped down the burning staircase, eyes brilliant red in the smokey gloom of the front hall.

“Trying to save your furry asses.” Stiles hissed back, twisting to get a better look at her from his position on the floor.

“Get out, we don't need your help.” The alpha wrapped clawed fingers around Stiles' upper arm, dragging him down the hall to the basement stairs.

“Don't! What are you doing!? Dammit woman I'm trying to help you!” Stiles shrieked as he tumbled down the stairs, rolling to a stop against the far wall as Talia stomped down after him, expression tight with anger and fear.

“We don't need your help, serpent.” The woman growled, grabbing a hold of Stiles again and heaving him to the opening in the floor at the far end of the basement.

“Bullshit!” Stiles shouted, gritting his teeth as more and more scales were ripped from his tail by the rough handling, the fins over his hips and back were a tattered mess when he met the water a moment later. “Fuck!” The merman hissed as he twisted in the shallow water, looking up at Talia with a venomous expression. “You're a fool Hale, you'd let your whole family die just because you think I'm more of a monster than you are?”

“Yes!” The alpha roared back, clawed hands curled into fists at her sides as she stared down at the teen. “Get out of here, we don't need you.”

“Fuck this, you're an idiot.” Stiles snapped before diving down, using his hands against the sides of the tunnel to help him along since his tail was ruined for the time being. The teen made it back to his lake, chest heaving as he broke the surface and looked around for Derek.

“Stiles! What happened?” Derek splashed into the shallows, jeans rolled up and t-shirt clinging wetly to his chest and shoulders as he reached out to the other boy.

“Your mother happened.” Stiles whimpered, heaving himself into the shallows beside the other teen and turning to look at the damage on his delicate fins. “Fuck that hurts.”

“My mom did that?” Derek whispered, dropping down to kneel in the water beside the injured merman. “Why would she-?”

“She thinks I'm a monster. Its fine, I'll heal, but swimming is going to be hard for a while.” Stiles sighed as he carefully ran his hands over a tear in his fluke, biting at his bottom lip with sharp teeth as he took in the torn and ripped expanse of his once beautiful tail. “You know, I don't consider myself vain, but this is kind of a low blow. I like my tail.”

“I like your tail too, I'm sorry she did that. Are they safe though?” Derek reached out, gently curling his hands around the teen's shoulders.

“No, the front door was damaged, I couldn't get it open and the wolves can't get close enough to knock it down because of mountain ash on the outside. I have another favor to ask you.” Stiles looked up into clear hazel eyes, noting the way Derek's gaze kept flicking to the hand-print bruises forming on his upper arms and the ragged remains of his tail.

“Anything.” The beta said easily, finally meeting Stiles' eyes with a determined set to his mouth.

“I need you to carry me to the house.”

“You. You want me to carry you through the preserve? Won't you dry out?” Derek frowned down at the other teen.

“I'll be fine, maybe get your sweater wet and we can wrap part of my tail just to be safe. Just promise me, once the barrier is down, you get me out of sight. I don't want your mother attacking me again.” Stiles looked away from those piercing hazel eyes, shoulders hunched forward.

“I promise.” Derek said firmly, getting to his feet and grabbing his sweater from where it still lay over the log. “You're sure about this?”

“Yeah, I'll be fine.” Stiles nodded, watching avidly as the other teen submerged the thick cotton before they both worked to stretch it over as much of his tail as possible. “Okay, it might be easier if I'm on your back, I think I'm too long for you to try and carry me in your arms.” Stiles looked up at Derek critically for a moment, the teen was tall for his age, but Peter probably had a good six inches on him and the older beta had had trouble with Stiles' tail.

“Alright, come on.” Derek turned his back and crouched down, looking over his shoulder as he kept his arms held out for balance.

Stiles scooted closer, twisting his tail to the side and frowning for a moment in thought before he gripped the other boys shoulders tightly and hoisted himself up against his back. Derek stood slowly, shifting his feet wider to distribute their combined weight more evenly on the slippery ground, arms still out at his sides until he gained his full height and lowered them awkwardly, looking uncertainly over at the merman.

“This is going to be a little weird, I apologize in advance.” Stiles said, smiling weakly as he curled his tail up, wrapping the sinuous length about Derek's narrow waist. Broad palms hooked over the heavily muscled appendage, grip firm but not painful as the beta adjusted his hold until he could comfortably support Stiles.

“I didn't realize your tail was so flexible.” Derek commented as he started forward, eyes scanning the treeline before they ducked beyond the first row of branches.

Stiles grit his teeth, pain lancing through his tail with ever jolting step the other boy took, trying to keep his breathing even so Derek wouldn't realize how much damage had really been done to him. The beta kept up a steady pace, pausing occasionally to modify his hold ever so slightly and hitch Stiles up a little higher when the merman slipped down. 

It took them nearly fifteen minutes to reach the edge of the clearing the old house presided over, flames licking up the back of the once majestic home. The roof was caved in on the nearest side, almost all the windows shattered from the oppressive heat. Stiles could barely see through the thick blanket of smoke and ash, eyes stinging as he looked around nervously.

“Do you sense anyone nearby?” The merman whispered, chin tucked down next to his arms that were curled around Derek's shoulders.

“Man, I can barely sense you. But I don't think they would have stuck around, what if the police or fire department show up?” Derek frowned as he squinted in the red tinged darkness, both teens trying to make out anything in the gloom.

“They would have shown up by now, that column of smoke has got to be three miles high by now, there is no way everyone has missed it.” Stiles shook his head, lifting himself a little higher as Derek slowly stepped into the clearing properly.

“You really think no ones coming?” The beta questioned lowly, moving carefully over the fallen branches that lined the edge of the property.

“Dude, my dad was the sheriff, if someone was coming, they would have been here by now. My bet is that the bastards set the fire and then hightailed it out of here to keep the authorities distracted. Either that or they paid a lot of money for people to look the other way, seems like kind of a long shot considering how well liked your family is.” Stiles shook his head, nose wrinkled as they got closer to the house. 

Derek stumbled suddenly, knees giving way beneath them, as both teens gasped. The beta tightened his grip almost painfully to keep Stiles firmly on his back, panting for breath. Stiles arced up, curling over Derek's heaving shoulders to peer into the other teen's face in concern.

“Derek?”

“Wolf's-bane.” The beta gritted out, eyes electric blue in the darkness. “It's really thick out here, it wasn't this bad earlier.” Derek shook his head sharply, struggling to his feet after a few moments.

“Are you okay?” Stiles whispered, hands fluttering uselessly against the other boy's chest as they came to the edge of the porch.

“Its not deadly like this, just painful.” Derek murmured back, carefully mounting the stairs on shaky legs. “I'll be fine once I can clear my lungs out. But I can't get any closer.” The beta had stilled at the top of the steps, body trembling as their faces were washed in the ruddy light from the fire.

“This is fine, you did great Derek, can you turn around and lower me to the porch?” Stiles looked over the worn wood carefully, noting that the fire and heat didn't seem to have damaged it yet.

“Sure, hang on.” Derek turned and went down a step, keeping his back to the house as he helped Stiles unwind his tail and eased the merman down to the wood. “You sure you're okay to do this?”

“We're already here, little late to have second thoughts Der. I got this, just make sure you get me out of sight before you go in, please?” Stiles looked up at the beta nervously, webbed hands twisted tightly together in his lap.

“I promised, didn't I? I'll get you to safety, don't worry.” Derek nodded firmly, arms crossed over his chest and a stern look on his face, as if Stiles' uncertainty was a personal affront.

“Sorry, I know you did, just-.” The brunette shook his head, twisting to the side and easing himself across the blissfully smooth porch. “Whoever polishes this regularly gets a hug,” Stiles called over his shoulder with a grin as he managed to get his upper body close enough to the door to see the thick line of ash.

“From me or you? Cause I'm not much of a hugger.” Derek arced a thick brow, mouth pursed, but eyes filled with mirth as he watched the merman closely.

“Both, don't be silly Der.” Stiles replied, lifting his hands and flexing his abdominals hard to keep himself upright. The teen held his palms over the line, squinting in the haze of smoke as he concentrated. “There is nothing to hold here,” Stiles whispered lowly, eyes flaring brighter than the fire for a moment before the ash scattered to the wind, the entirety of the circle enclosing the house dissipating on a nonexistent breeze.

“You did it!” Derek whooped, darting forward to scoop the merman up and against his chest in a tight embrace.

“I'm pretty sure this is called a hug, Hale.” Stiles wheezed out, clinging tightly to the other teen's shoulders as Derek leaped off the porch and headed toward the treeline quickly.

“No one will ever believe you.” Derek stated cheerfully as he carefully maneuvered them through the undergrowth and out of sight of the house. “Stay here and stay quiet, as soon as I tell them its all clear I'll be back to take you to the lake, okay?”

“Sure, I'm fine. Go on.” Stiles flapped his hands once he was settled against a thick tree trunk, keeping his tone light as the other teen looked at him for a long minute. “Seriously, go!” The merman shoved at Derek's legs until the beta nodded jerkily and darted back toward the house.

Stiles kept silent in the heavy darkness, eyes stinging from smoke and pain and fatigue, hands curled together at his chest as he focused on his breathing. The long length of his tail was crackling, scales fluttering off at an alarming rate as he slumped there in the dirt, he'd dried out much faster than he thought he would. The merman had only been out of the water for a few minutes while he was in the house, but he'd been exposed to the open air for nearly half an hour now, and it hurt.

The teen's chest ached, each inhale like breathing in glass and his skin felt tight enough to shatter if he moved wrong. The bruises and cuts that lined his tail were a distant memory as new pain raked his system from his flukes to his hairline, ever inch of his body trembling. Stiles wanted to curl in on himself, but just the thought of moving sent another rolling twinge through his muscles.

Minutes passed, only the sound of his labored breathing, the crackle of fire, and the snaps of the wood in the house being destroyed reached his hearing. The frills along the tops of his ears felt like brittle leaves every time the air brushed over them and the webbing between his fingers was more delicate than hundred year old parchment. Stiles whimpered as a branch snapped nearby, his whole body twitching and another pained whine pushing up his throat before he could stop it.

“Shit, Stiles!” Derek dropped to the leaf strewn ground beside him a moment later, broad hands coming up but stopping before they touched the merman. “Oh god Stiles, hey can you hear me?”

“Mhmm,” the brunette managed to hum, lips trembling as he slowly blinked up at the other teen.

“Dammit Stiles, you should have told me you were this dry. Shit.” Derek cursed again, looking over his shoulder toward the house before shuffling closer. Surprisingly smooth palms gently touched along the top of Stiles' tail, but even that lite touch nearly sent him into unconsciousness from pain.

“Don't!” Stiles shrieked, hands coming up to grip at Derek's shirt weakly, head shaking. “Hurts, please don't.” The merman whispered hoarsely, eyes damp as he gasped for breath.

“Alright, okay. I won't. Shit, what am I supposed to do?” The dark haired teen looked terrified in the red glow from the fire, hands shaking as he pulled them back into his lap. “Dammit Stiles, what am I supposed to do?”

“Water,” the merman whimpered, fingers digging into the still slightly damp cotton stretched over Derek's chest.

“I don't have any, there isn't enough still in my clothes to be any use, and my sweater is pretty much dry too. I'm gunna get my dad, we're going to have to move you.” Derek gently untangled Stiles' hands from his shirt and began to get up.

“Wait. Peter.”

“What about Peter?” Derek frowned down at the other boy, lips pursed as he lifted his head to look through the trees again.

“Get. Peter.” Stiles said firmly, looking up at Derek with unfocused eyes.

“Alright. Okay, I'll get Peter, just don't move okay? Shit, I'm so sorry.” Derek's voice was hoarse as well, eyes too bright in the darkness as he turned around and darted back toward his destroyed house.

Stiles slumped back against the rough bark, barely feeling the bite against his skin as it dug in along his spine and shoulders. The teen's chest heaved, lungs straining to fill as smoke curled through the branches. Stiles' gills were sealed shut but even so they still burned and throbbed with each shuddering breath. The merman's tail looked positively horrific against the dirt and leaves, almost all his scales littering the ground around him like shiny pebbles leaving the thick muscles exposed to the air.

“Stiles!” Derek shouted as he skidded to a stop beside him once more, hands coming up and grabbing his shoulders firmly. “Stiles?”

“Wha?” The brunette mumbled, eyes barely able to open and lips cracked and bleeding as he tried to focus on the other boy.

“Shit,” Peter murmured as he came into view, blue eyes wide in the dim light penetrating the trees from the burning house.

“You have to help uncle Peter, its my fault he's out here. Please!” Derek's eyes were electric blue once more, fangs pressing at his lips as he looked up at the older man.

“I don't know that we can Derek. He's lost almost all his scales already.” Peter swallowed thickly as he came closer, crouching down by the decimated length of the teen's tail. “I've never seen this much damage before.”

“Please, we have to try.” The younger Hale whispered, eyes watering as he looked down at Stiles fearfully. “Please?”

“Alright. Stiles, this is going to hurt.” Derek quickly scrambled behind the merman's back, wrapping his arms around Stiles' narrow chest as Peter moved down to his flukes.

“Wait!” Stiles cried, lifting a hand quickly and shaking his head. “Not there. Higher up. Please, its damaged. Enough.” Stiles' chest shuddered and his head thumped back against Derek's shoulder as Peter nodded and moved farther up his tail.

“Alright, ready Derek? We have to move fast, down to the basement, there is no way we can get him back to the lake quick enough.”

“But, the fire!” Derek shouted, eyes wide as he looked up at his uncle.

“We'll have to risk it if you want to try and save your friend. He won't survive the trip back to the lake, he may not even survive this.” Peter's voice was firm, face set in harsh lines as he looked at the two teens.

“Okay, fuck okay.” Derek whimpered, gritting his teeth and tightening his arms around Stiles' chest, pressing his cheek to the merman's to keep Stiles from moving his head. “Just keep breathing Stiles, please just keep breathing.”

“'kay Der.” Stiles mumbled, eyelids heavy as he watched Peter get back into position crouched beside his tail.

“On three.” Peter said calmly, hands to either side of glistening muscle and dull scales. “One. Two. Three!” The older beta slid his hands beneath Stiles' tail, lifting quickly even as Derek surged to his feet and around the tree Stiles had been leaning against.

Stiles screamed, broken and high as the two Hale's lunged through the trees, branches whipping their chests and backs as they navigated the dense foliage. Derek's back was to the house, he was looking over his shoulder out of the corner of his eye, keeping his cheek pressed tight to Stiles' so the merman couldn't thrash. Peter urged them on even as Stiles' tensed muscles went slack, the brunette dead weight in their arms.

“Come on Stiles, just breathe.” Derek whispered fiercely as they hurried across the clearing.

“What the hell?” Talia shouted from where she had gathered her family at the far side of the clearing, near the road.

“Not now sister dear!” Peter called back, following closely as Derek mounted the steps and shouldered through the obliterated front door.

Stiles wheezed in a terrified breath as Derek went down the stairs backwards into the basement, hands scrambling weakly at the other teen's firm arms. Peter navigated them over to the hole in the floor, taking most of Stiles' weight as Derek lowered himself to the first step before pulling the merman tight to his chest once more and moving down into the water. Fire licked along the ceiling, illuminating Peter's determined expression as he came down onto the top step.

“Get him submerged, the more water touching him the better.” The older beta said quickly, easing Stiles' mutilated tail into the water before turning and climbing back out.

“Where are you going?” Derek asked shrilly, eyes wide as Peter disappeared from sight. The dark haired boy gently held Stiles below the surface, right hand in the middle of the other teen's stomach and the left as far down the tail as he could manage. “Peter?”

“I'm getting the cover, it will help keep the smoke out and protect you from anything falling on you two while he heals enough for us to get him out to the lake.” Peter called back as he moved something heavy out of sight. Derek looked down at his friend when Stiles wrapped his fingers around strong a wrist.

“What?” Derek asked softly, leaning forward and squinting down at Stiles' water covered face.

“Get out of here, I'll be fine.” Stiles murmured, lifting his head clear of the water to speak clearly.

“Are you crazy? I'm not leaving you alone again.” Derek shook his head, scowl firmly in place as he tried to push Stiles farther under the water.

“Listen. I'll pull myself into the tunnel. I'll be fine. You and Peter need to get out of here, there is still wolf's-bane in the air.” Stiles' voice was raspy as his fingers flexed around Derek's warm skin.

“I'm not leaving you Stiles, that's final.” The other teen said coolly, hazel eyes narrowed and mouth pulled into a harsh line across his handsome face.

“You most certainly are Derek Anthony Hale!” Talia snarled as she came into view at the edge of the hole, eyes blazing red and fangs filling her mouth.

“Shut up Talia. That boy risked his life to save our family.” Peter said snidely as he heaved a heavy metal plate across the floor and settled it down so that it covered half of the opening.

“How dare you?” Talia growled, turning toward her brother with a furious expression. “Why are you defending that little monster?”

“Have you looked in a mirror lately sister dear? We're all monsters. Now get out.” Peter stepped back out of sight, the shrill sound of metal on concrete filling the smoke hazy space as he shoved the metal covering over the floor.

“Don't even think about it Peter! Derek get out of there before he drowns you.” Talia leaped down to the top step, reaching a clawed hand out to her son.

“Not going to happen mom. He saved all of you, and now he needs my help, I'm not leaving him until he's healed.” Derek shook his head, pulling Stiles closer and moving farther into the shaft, water swirling up around his waist.

“Derek, you can't be serious. That little serpent is a monster, a murderer.” Talia hissed out, taking another step down, still not quiet touching the water as she reached for the dark haired boy.

“So am I, or did you forget what blue eyes meant?” Derek snarled back, eyes flaring brilliant blue and fangs dropping.

“Son, that was an accident, you aren't to blame.” The alpha shook her head, long dark hair fluttering about her face.

“I'm the one that killed Paige, just because it wasn't my fault she was attacked doesn't change the fact that I'm the one that ended her life. Please leave.” Derek moved as far back as he could, back pressed to a cement wall as the water rose to his chest, hands warm and steady against Stiles.

“Get out of the way Talia, we have more important things to do than harass teenage boys. Like maybe hunt down the bitch that tried to murder our family, perhaps?” Peter's voice was low and vicious as he glared down at his sister.

The alpha turned her burning gaze on Stiles, red eyes boring into the injured boy with pure venom. “If you hurt my son I will make every day of your miserable life as excruciating as possible, do you understand?”

“Crystal clear ma'am.” Stiles mumbled, lips tingling as they healed, amber eyes half-lidded and whole body lax in the cool water.

Talia snarled again before climbing out of the passageway, stalking out of the basement with barely controlled rage. Peter sent the boys a wink before shoving the metal plate all the way across the opening. Darkness descended around the teens, only alleviated by the red glow around the edges of the covering.

“Gimme a few minutes, I might be able to glow soon. I think my scales are coming back.” Stiles' voice was slurred, hands trembling were they were wrapped around Derek's wrist.

“You can glow?” The beta asked curiously, dark brows arced high as he looked down at the merman.

“Mhmm. Its more for being in deep water, but sometimes I get bored.” Stiles mumbled, a tiny smile pulling at his lips as he looked up into the concerned face of his friend. “You didn't have to stay. Your mom was really mad.”

“It wasn't her decision to make, she doesn't have as much control over me as she'd like, I piss her off pretty frequently actually.” Derek shrugged, a grin blossoming over his face as he shifted them back towards the stairs so he could sit down. “Was she right though?”

“About what?” Stiles asked softly as Derek settled down, the beta's chest pressed along Stiles' arm and side.

“You being a murderer.”

“It wasn't my fault.” The merman whispered, blinking quickly to halt the tears threatening to spill. “You know my dad was the sheriff a few years ago, my mom is where I get the mer gene from. Anyways, uh, mom and I were out running errands after school one day, we were at a stoplight, laughing and joking.” Stiles paused, swallowing thickly as he turned his face away from Derek. 

“Stiles, you don't have to tell me.” The beta whispered, hand stroking over Stiles' chest gently.

“No, its okay, someone should know what happened.” The merman drew in a deep shuddering breath, pressing up into the careful touch of the other boy before continuing. “She had a seizure, she got them sometimes if she was out of water too long, and I was always so scared of the shift that we didn't go as often as we should have. I grabbed the parking break, like my dad had taught me, and tilted her seat back so she wouldn't hurt herself. I put the hazards on, we should have been fine, there was no one else around and I did everything I was supposed to.”

Stiles paused again, swiping at his face to get rid of the salty evidence of his grief, Derek moving down another step and pressing closer along his side. “Thanks. Some guy came whipping around the corner, I was only thirteen at the time, and pretty small for my age. I couldn't reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel properly to drive. I couldn't do anything actually, I just sat there while he hit us. Completely crushed mom's side of the car, and pinned my legs so severely I was sure they'd been cut off.” Stiles' chest heaved as memories swamped him for a long moment.

“Shh, you don't need to say anymore. Its okay, you're okay. It wasn't your fault.” Derek's voice was low and thick, face pressing against Stiles' as the merman whimpered softly.

“Dad. Dad found us a few hours later on his way home. We were on one of the back roads that hardly anyone even knows about, let alone uses. He pulled me out and got me out to the lake. Only reason I'm still alive actually. I heal a lot faster when I'm in water, I shifted but couldn't go back. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get my legs back. Dad called in the accident and stayed with me as long as he could, but he had to go and take care of mom and I couldn't go with him.” Stiles sighed deeply, pressing into the tender touches Derek was brushing over his hair and chest.

“Thank you for telling me. Its not your fault.” The beta murmured, pulling back just far enough so they could meet eyes.

“I know it wasn't. I've thought about it a million times since then, but there wasn't anything I could have done differently, at least not in that moment. Maybe if I hadn't been so scared of shifting she never would have had the seizure, but in that moment, there wasn't anything I could have done to change what happened.” Stiles shrugged tightly, reaching up to gently poke Derek at his damp cheek. “Thanks for listening.”

“Don't be silly. You were there for me when Paige died.” Derek's voice was still low, hazel eyes soft in the dim red light.

“Dude, I was there when you were fawning over her. Felt like we were both dating her.” Stiles smirked as Derek snorted, sitting back and shaking his head ruefully at the merman.

“Whatever Stilinski, you were just jealous.”

“Of you, or Paige?” Stiles arced an eyebrow, laughing softly at Derek's startled expression. 

“What?” Derek's voice cracked, something it hadn't done in years as his eyes widened.

“Hah, don't be silly Hale. You're handsome, but not that handsome.” Stiles laughed again before closing his eyes with a grimace.

“What is it? Are you okay?” Derek sat forward again, hands fluttering as he looked over Stiles quickly, trying to see anything of detail in the darkness.

“'m okay, scales hurt to regrow.” Stiles twisted slightly, sinking his tail further under water and leaning his chest against Derek's bent knees. “Hang on, think I can-” the merman trailed off, eyes still closed as he breathed in deeply.

A warm, almost purple glow emitted from the water, filling the tunnel with soft light. The glow was sporadic, Stiles' tail still missing a vast quantity of scales, but it was enough light for both teens to see more clearly in their little waterhole. The merman grinned as Derek gaped, hazel eyes wide.

“Pretty cool huh?” Stiles asked, crossing his arms over Derek's knees and resting his chin on the folded appendages, lifting his flukes up and glancing back at them curiously. “Maybe a couple hours and I'll be good as new. Another thirty minutes and I can probably swim out of here.”

“It hurts to heal?” Derek asked inquiringly, leaning back to rest against the wall as he continued to look over the other teen.

“Mhmm, not as much as it hurt to dry out, but yeah, painful. Like a stinging ache everywhere.” Stiles wrinkled his nose, relaxing into his new position practically in Derek's lap.

“Is that comfortable?” The beta asked, eyebrows arced high in a mocking expression as Stiles cracked an eye open once again.

“Mhmm.”

“You're ridiculous.” Derek muttered, shaking his head before slumping back into the wall and bringing his hands up behind his head. “How come its not hot in here? You'd think with all the fire it would at least be humid down here.”

“Naw, my lake is pretty cold, even in the summer, and that's what feeds into here. Even if the air got warm the water would still stay fairly cool. Also, smoke and heat rise, with that metal plate in the way, we're nicely insulated.” Stiles raised a single shoulder in a shrug, body relaxed and breathing easing as the water helped him to heal slowly but surely.

“Think you're so smart, don't you?” The beta grumbled, cheeks and the tips of his ears flushed slightly.

“Dude, we both know I'm smart. Granted I haven't been to school in years, kind of miss it.” Stiles sighed wistfully, tail moving gently back and forth.

“Then you should figure out how to shift and come back to school. I miss having you there.” Derek brought one hand down, cupping the back of Stiles' head tenderly for a moment before he pulled back, blushing even darker now.

“Derek, are you being sentimental?” Stiles asked curiously, lifting his head and looking up at the other teen with raised brows.

“No, you asshole. I just. Its not as fun without you there, its boring.” Derek sighed, refusing to meet the merman's knowing look.

“You are a giant sap Derek Hale. Giant. Sap.” Stiles cackled, taking the thump to his shoulder with a pout.

“I am not, and if you ever tell anyone I will deny it to my grave.” The beta said tartly, lifting his nose in the air and turning his face away from the other teens.

“Who am I gunna tell Der? After this your mom is going to have you under house arrest until you're thirty, and no one else comes to see me.” Stiles pulled back slightly, webbed fingers curled into the rough denim covering Derek's knees as he looked down into the water.

“Hey. I told you, she can't make me do anything. I'll still come to the lake all the time, it just might be a little harder because we probably won't be in the preserve anymore. You can't get rid of me that easily, jerk.” Derek wrapped his hands gently around Stiles' elbows, pulling him back against his knees.

“You can't promise that Der. She's not only your mother but your alpha, I don't want you getting in trouble or hurt because of me.” Stiles shook his head firmly, not meeting the other teen's eyes.

“Stiles, I will never willingly leave you, okay? We've been friends for almost three years now, and we've known each other most of our lives. Just, remember that okay? I'm not going anywhere unless you don't want me around anymore.” Derek shuffled around slightly, spreading his legs and tugging Stiles against his chest for a firm embrace. “And I don't hug people.”

Stiles choked out a laugh, clinging to the other boy tightly for as long as Derek would let him, tucking his nose behind the other boys ear and just breathing for a little while. The beta eased his hold, but didn't let go, simply letting Stiles relax against his chest while he reclined back into the wall. Neither spoke for long minutes, just breathing together in the quiet, soft purple steadily getting brighter as more and more scales regrew. 

“Hey, I never asked, but how do you shift? I mean, sometimes it looks like it happens in a second and you've got claws and fangs and some serious sideburns. But other times its as if you're actually focusing on it.” Stiles pulled back just enough so that he could ease himself a little deeper into the water, folding his arms to rest over Derek's stomach before laying his chin there.

“I have an anchor, something we concentrate on for control. Before Paige it was easy, you know, like breathing. I just thought about my family and I didn't shift, or I thought about them getting hurt, and bam! I'm in my beta shift.” Derek put his hands back behind his head, looking up at the flickering purple light that painted the walls. “After Paige died it was, hard. Thinking about my family didn't help, I felt like I'd betrayed them some how, I was the only one in the family with blue eyes. I felt isolated.”

“What is your new anchor?” Stiles asked curiously, tipping his head to the side.

“Hope.” Derek said simply, finally looking down at Stiles.

“Hope?” The merman furrowed his brow, lifting up enough to get a proper look at Derek's face. “How does that work?”

“You taught me actually.” Derek laughed lowly at the other teen's stumped expression.

“I. What? When?”

“I think it was last summer. I was up on one of the rocks and you kept splashing me. Cracking jokes and acting silly, trying to get me to smile. And I realized, I'd been coming to you, whining to you actually, for months. Acting like it was somehow your fault that I'd killed Paige, as if you'd had some hand in my decision. And you were so damn happy all the time, I couldn't figure it out. Couldn't figure out why you were putting up with my attitude. You could have just ignored me, stayed underwater, we both know I never would have gone in after you. But every afternoon, there you were, waiting for me to start in on you.” Derek shook his head, rueful smile pulling at his mouth as he watched Stiles' expressive face intently.

“That still doesn't explain anything.” The merman shook his head, frown marring his features.

“You gave me hope. I'd lost a friend, a girl I thought I was in love with, maybe someone I could have started a family of my own with at some point. But there you were, a boy my own age who'd lost both his parents, one right after the other, and you were so fucking happy! God Stiles, every time you smiled it was like the sun was coming out, was like I was sinking into a warm bath. You never let it keep you down, never wallowed in self-pity or self-hatred. I wanted to be like that, be like you. Look at the world and see the good instead of all the bad. You gave me hope.”

“I. Holy shit Derek.”

“Its not that big of a deal, don't make that face at me. I should have thanked you for your part in my recovery sooner though. So thank you.” Derek rubbed a hand over the back of his head, cheeks flushed richly.

“Oh my god Derek. You're such a fucking sap!” Stiles fell back into the water as the beta gained his feet with a snarl. Ringing laughter echoed around them as Stiles swam circles around the other boy, both grinning widely in the warm purple light.

“I swear to god, I would drown you right now if I could.” Derek muttered darkly as he collapsed back on the stairs dejectedly.

“You can hold me under if it would make you feel better?” Stiles offered brightly as he flopped over Derek's legs with a laugh.

“Don't tempt me, you jerk. Never telling you anything ever again. Now, why did you want to know about my anchor?” Derek ruffled the merman's hair until it stuck up in ridiculous spikes.

“I just thought it might help me shift.” Stiles shrugged, leaning into the touch and closing his eyes on a soft sigh.

“It might. I don't really understand how yours is so different than mine. I mean, you shift a lot more of you than I do, but in theory it should work the same, right?” Derek frowned in thought as he looked the other boy over critically.

“In theory. But I've tried for years and nothing seems to work. Even earlier, you'd have thought I'd be able to shift rather than laying there dying.” Stiles wrinkled his nose and shrugged again. “It doesn't make any sense, but I'll keep trying.”

“Good idea. You about ready to swim out of here? Or do you need some more time?” Derek glanced up at the much brighter red glow around the metal above them, he'd heard a few crashes earlier and really wasn't sure how much longer the house was going to stay standing. 

“I think I can get out of here, but I also don't think its safe for you to try to go out that way.” Stiles was looking up as well now, amber eyes narrowed and lips pursed.

“Maybe not, but what's my other option? Trying to swim a mile underwater?” Derek brought his gaze down to meet Stiles', eyebrows arced high.

“If you hold on to me I should be able to swim fast enough. You can hold your breath for close to ninety seconds while you're physically exerting yourself. If I do all the work you might be able to hold it longer.” Stiles looked down into the water, biting at his bottom lip with sharp teeth.

“You think so?” Derek's voice went a little high before he coughed and tried again. “You think so? That's nearly a mile long tunnel, completely underwater, and you want to pull me with you?”

“Dude, its up to you, but I'm pretty sure its not safe for you to go up there, the metal is starting to glow red, its going to be too hot to move. I'll help you, whatever you decide to do, but I recommend you let me swim us out of here before that thing melts.” Stiles pointed up at the distinctly red spots dotting the metal sheet.

“Shit, alright. I'm never going to want to get in the water again after this.” Derek sighed, rolling his shoulders a few times before slipping completely into the water with Stiles. “Don't smack me into anything.” The beta growled as Stiles turned around, presenting the other boy with his back much like Derek had done earlier that night.

“Trust me.” The merman said quietly, amber eyes soft as Derek looped strong arms over his shoulders and pressed tight to his back.

“I do, you asshole.”

“Heh, alright sourwolf. Hook your knees over my hips so your legs don't get in my way. And try to get all the air out of your lungs, do quick deep breaths, tap my sternum when you're ready.” Stiles fell silent, listening to Derek's sharp breaths, the other boys thighs gripping his hips almost painfully tight.

The beta tapped two fingers against Stiles chest after one last exhalation, arms flexing as Derek pressed his face to Stiles' shoulder blade. The merman didn't hesitate, diving down fast and grabbing the edges of the passageway with nimble fingers, tail whipping the water viciously. Stiles struck out hard, propelling them through the water with ease, swimming a little lower than he had before to give Derek more room. The beta clung on tight, not lifting his face and keeping his chest pressed flush to Stiles' back.

They were over halfway back to the lake when Derek's grip went suddenly slack, the beta sliding to the side. Stiles twisted, grabbing Derek tightly and swimming upside down, gaze locked on the other boy for a long moment. The beta's lips were parted, eyes closed, arms and legs hanging limply to either side as Stiles kept moving. The merman flexed his tail hard, gritting his teeth as pain lanced up his spine, swimming faster. They broke the surface not ten seconds later, Stiles almost slipping back under from Derek's unconscious weight. 

“Come on Der. Shit, don't do this.” Stiles flung them both into the shallows, taking the blow on his back and ignoring the stinging pain as he wiggled them farther up onto the bank. Stiles rolled the other teen onto his back, scrambling through the muck to lift himself high enough over the still form of his friend to access the situation.

Stiles quickly locked his fingers together, right palm against the back of his left hand, and pushed his hands down heavily into the center of Derek's chest. There was no response from the beta, not even a twitch. Stiles shrieked, the sound alien and furious as he pressed down again and again, adjusting his placement until finally water gushed from the other boys lips.

“Oh thank fuck you asshole.” Stiles whispered, pressing down one more time until Derek flailed a hand at him, smacking against his tail weakly.

“Ow, you better not have kissed me Stiles.”

The merman laughed wetly, tears streaking down his already wet face as he collapsed in the mud at Derek's side. “Not until you ask me too. We are never doing that again, I swear to god Derek you better be glad I'm CPR trained.”

“Ugh, I think you cracked my ribs.” Derek muttered, lifting one hand to press at his side curiously while the other cupped over Stiles' still laced together on his chest.

“Then I was doing it right.” Stiles quipped, curling tight to Derek's side with a soft whimper.

“You okay?” Derek murmured, turning his head and finally opening his eyes to look over the other teen.

“Fine, just pulled a muscle or twelve in my tail. I swear, I'm going to spend the next week healing.” Stiles sighed, blinking at Derek from only a couple inches away and smiling wanly at the beta. “Sorry about that, thought I was going fast enough.”

“I'm okay Stiles, you were still healing. You did just fine.” Derek murmured, gently pressing Stiles' hands more firmly into his chest so the merman could feel his steady heartbeat. “I'm okay, just need to rest for a bit, then I'll go find my family, see what the plan is.”

“You aren't going to like it.” Peter commented as he stepped into the clearing, coming to a stop a couple feet from the teens and looking down at them curiously.

“What do you mean?” Stiles asked, levering himself up with one hand but keeping the other pressed to Derek's chest tenderly.

“I mean, Talia is intent on moving the pack.” Peter intoned, crouching down beside the merman and looking over his tail curiously. “It looks much better with the scales attached.”

“Thanks. Where is she planning on moving?” Stiles flicked his flukes in agitation, whole body tense as Derek leaned up on his elbows, frowning up at his uncle.

“New York from the sounds of it. If her angry ranting can be anything to go on. Just until the house can be rebuilt and the Argent's dealt with properly of course.”

“What?!” Derek shouted, surging up and twisting around to kneel in the mud, eyes blue and furious in the slowly lightening forest, dawn was rapidly approaching.

“Mhmm, we have distant cousins out there she intends to stay with until everything is taken care of here.” The older beta answered calmly, looking over the two teens with knowing blue eyes.

“That's crazy, why would we go so far away if she wants to rebuild the house?” Derek snarled, fangs parting his lips as he clenched his hands against his knees.

“I have my theories, one of them is right next to you.”

“What? That's stupid, Stiles isn't the problem here! He saved all of you!” Derek turned wide eyes on the teen beside him, but Stiles had ducked his head, shoulders hunched and hands tangled together. “Stiles?”

“It might be for the best Der. She has to think of the whole family, and if the Argent's are here, it would be safer to take the pack far away until they clear out.” Stiles murmured, keeping his gaze averted even as Derek pressed into his space, wide hands curling around his elbows firmly but gently.

“Stiles, that could take months. Who knows how long it will take to rebuild the house. There is no way I'm going.” Derek shook his head sharply, nostrils flared and visage mutinous.

“The most probable estimate on the house is eighteen months to build, but it will more than likely take longer. They will have to make sure they get all the burned derbies out, so as not to cause another fire, and I'm sure your mother intends to make some, shall we say, adjustments to the architecture.” Peter looked between the two boys with a surprisingly soft expression on his face.

“You mean sealing the tunnel that leads to the lake.” Derek muttered bitterly, hands sliding up to cup Stiles' jaw and force the other teen to look up finally.

“Its a solid plan Derek, you'd be safe with your family, Talia gets what she wants for a few years, and then you'd come back. I'll be okay here.” Stiles shrugged, trying to smile even as tears pricked his eyes again that night.

“You aren't safe here. If the Argent's knew about us, what makes you think they don't know about you? I was out here almost every day Stiles, someone could have followed me, could have seen you.”

“Its pretty hard to kill a mer. Normal toxins and poisons don't work on us, and even a lot of the magical stuff just kind of rolls off us. Not to mention I have a spark, I'm even harder to get rid of.”

“Not it they just shoot you in the head!” Derek shouted, lunging to his feet and beginning to pace, hands yanking at his hair.

“Well, there is that.” Peter commented, moving to sit on the log and watch as Derek paced up and down the bank.

“Derek, I'll be okay. You can't be without your pack, its dangerous.” Stiles murmured, looking up at the other boy beseechingly.

“Uncle Peter, can't you and aunt Maria stay here? I'll just live with you guys.”

“Derek, dear nephew, I am only a beta and so is Maria, we can't be away from an alpha any more than you can. We might last a little longer then your usual omega with three of us in one place, but not long enough. And I don't have the ability to challenge your mother, I'm not stronger than she is and you know it.” Peter shook his head sadly, turning to peer into the trees. “The pack is headed this way.”

“Shit, Stiles, get in the water.” Derek rushed forward, hoisting the slender mer against his chest and splashing into deeper water.

“Der! Put me down you brute, I can do it myself.” Stiles whined, holding tight to the arms locked around his chest as he was half-dragged into the water.

“Not fast enough, stay as far out as you can, I don't want her getting near you.” Derek finally released the other boy once the water was up to his chest, looking at Stiles with fear widened eyes. “Please Stiles, do this for me, I don't want her hurting you anymore than she already has.”

“Alright, alright, stop giving me the puppy eyes. Sheesh.” Stiles held up his hands in a placating manner, brushing his fins over Derek's legs and waist before the beta turned and swam back to shore.

“Rather dramatic display if I do say so myself.” Peter muttered, a smirk pulling at his lips as he looked out at the merman.

“Seriously? Have you met Derek? He's always dramatic, someone make him take a drama class next school year for me.” Stiles grinned from his spot near the middle of his little lake, ignoring the sour expression on his friends face as the beta sloshed up the bank and settled next to Peter, dripping muddy water around them both.

“Nephew, you're a mess, could you not sit quiet so close?”

“You're on my bench, you can move.” Derek grumbled, crossing his arms and keeping a stern look on his face.

Stiles giggled, covering his mouth as Derek growled at him in warning. “So grumpy, sourwolf.”

“Don't start with me Stiles.” The other teen discouraged lowly, eyes gleaming blue for an instant before fading back to hazel. Both beta's lifted their heads as one, turning to watch the trees intently.

“That was creepy as all hell,” Stiles whispered, shivering minutely when Derek waved a hand at him.

“Derek, Peter, its time to go.” Talia stepped into the little clearing, looking haughty and superior even in her soot smeared clothes and tangled hair.

“Where are we going?” Derek demanded, getting to his feet and facing his mother with his shoulders back and feet spread wide.

“To a hotel for the night, your father has gone on ahead with the little ones to arrange things for us. Say goodbye to your little friend. Peter, we shall have a talk later I believe.”

“Of course dear sister, I do so love our little chats.” Peter remarked coolly, getting up and brushing off his slacks with quick movements, the older man sent a quick look to Stiles, blue eyes sharp in the predawn light.

“Come now Derek,” Talia turned on her heel, walking back towards the trees with the air of someone used to being obeyed, Peter not far behind her.

“Stiles is still healing, I'm staying with him until I know he can defend himself.” The merman blinked, it wasn't a total lie, he was still healing, and he really wasn't equipped to defend himself anyways, at least not from things on land.

“That won't be possible Derek, you will come with me now or I will make you.” The alpha's voice left no room for negotiation as she looked over her shoulder at her only son.

“Mom this is ridiculous! You can't keep treating Stiles like this, he saved all of your lives tonight! Nearly killed himself in the process I might add, or did you miss the part where almost all of his scales were scattered in the dirt?” Derek's tone was low and vicious, hands curled into fists at his sides as he held his ground, almost blocking Stiles from sight.

“Derek please. I'm not worth this, just go. Please?” Stiles swam a little closer, right hand raised and features a mask of fear and sadness.

“Stay there!” Talia's words were a shout, echoing around the clearing shrilly in the sudden stillness. “Don't you come any closer, or I swear I will rip your throat out.”

“Mom!” Derek cried, stumbling back a step and closer to the water, hazel eyes wide and whole body going tense.

“Alpha Hale, I believe that is enough vitriol for one night, don't you?” A dark skinned man stepped into the clearing, on the far side of the lake, causing Stiles to whip around in surprise. 

“Deaton, this does not concern you.” Talia snarled, eyes still deep red and clawed hands raised in a defensive position before her chest.

“On the contrary alpha Hale, this concerns me very much. Mieczyslaw Stilinski is under my protection and has been since his mother's death three years ago.” The man, Deaton, said calmly, hands folded before him and expression placid.

“What?” Derek asked after a moment of silence, blinking at Stiles in confusion. “Your name is what?”

“Shut up Derek!” Stiles cried out, both hands raised now as he turned back to look at his friend. “Don't you say it, no one calls me that!”

“My apologies Stiles.” Deaton bowed his head to the teen before turning his focus back to Talia. “Alpha Hale, I believe you and I need to have a talk.”

“That won't be necessary emissary Deaton, my pack and I will be leaving town until our home may be rebuilt, during that time I expect you to get your charge under control.” Talia turned her nose up, moving to step back into the forest only to halt once more as Deaton spoke again.

“You misunderstand alpha Hale. This is Stiles' territory just as much as it is yours, and you will need to learn to live with him companionably or there will be consequences.”

“Like what?” Talia snarled, turning back to face Deaton head on as Stiles moved a little closer to shore, looking uncertainly back and forth between the adults.

“I will have to inform the council if you can't adjust your treatment of the boy. And if you intend to leave the territory for any length of time you run the risk of another pack moving in.” Deaton had slid his hands into his pockets, looking incredibly calm for a man facing down an alpha werewolf.

“Very well. I will tolerate his presence, and as long as he swears to leave me and mine alone I will do the same for him.”

“No!” Stiles shouted, arcing up in the water with a furious expression on his face. “That's ridiculous and you know it Talia!”

“Stiles, calm down please.” Deaton's voice was low, but carried an eerie kind of power.

The merman immediately slumped, sinking below the surface with a sigh as all the strength left his limbs in a rush. The teen blinked slowly, trying to flex his fingers or his tail, or even twitch his nose, only to hold perfectly still except of the expansion of his chest and glide of his eyelids. The water bubbled and frothed around him a moment later, big warm hands sliding around his waist and hauling him upward with ease.

“Stiles? Stiles are you okay?” Derek's voice was rough and too high, hazel eyes wide as water dripped down the beta's face.

“I'm a merman, I can breathe underwater Der.” Stiles lay limp in the other teen's arms, words slurring to near gibberish.

“Yeah, but can you move, smart-ass?” Derek grumbled, kicking his legs carefully so as not to hit the mer's tail. 

“Nope, not even a little.” Stiles mumbled in response, grinning goofily up at the dark haired boy.

“Great, I always wondered what a merman would be like drunk. Now I know.” Derek shook his head, feet finally able to touch the bottom as he held Stiles' gently against his chest. “Can you undo this please? He's kind of heavy.”

“Dude, you calling me fat?” Stiles slurred, narrowing his eyes in what he hoped was a convincing glare.

“I apologize Derek, I did not mean for it to have quiet so strong an affect on him. Stiles is obviously not taking care of himself properly.” Deaton calmly walked around the lake, movements sedate.

“I take care of myself just fine.” The mer pouted, finally managing to curl his fingers into the soft cotton of Derek's shirt. “Hah! Got ya sourwolf.”

“You're ridiculous, even more than usual.” The beta shook his head, ignoring his mother's warning growl from the shore where she was pacing.

“Bring him this way Derek, I'd rather not get completely soaked if I can help it.” Deaton now stood in the shallows, slacks rolled up to just under his knees and socks and shoes resting next to Peter's relaxed form where he'd taken up residence on the log again.

Derek tugged the brunette over, batting at Stiles' hand as the teen's long fingers poked at his side inquisitively. “Stop that you brat or I'll drag you by your tail.” The beta warned lowly, glaring down at Stiles for a moment before grinning along with the other teen.  
“But there's just so much muscle, how do you function?”

“Seriously Stiles? I really wish I was recording this right now.” Derek shook his head as he came to a stop before Deaton, holding Stiles up as the older man peered into the mer's eyes curiously.

“Just as I suspected. Your spark is over taxed, you're half starved, and not getting nearly enough sleep. What have you been doing to yourself Stiles?” Deaton shook his head sadly, going back to shore to fetch his leather bag and digging through it quickly.

“You haven't been eating?” The hazel eyed beta looked down at the other teen critically, noting the prominent ribs and collarbones, and the way his cheeks really were too thin these days. “Dammit Stiles, I told you to tell me if you needed anything.”

“I said I needed the new Avengers comic, I'm still waiting man. And I'm fine, he's being dramatic.” Stiles shook his head weakly, frowning over at the dark skinned man's hunched form.

“You might want to note your glamour is no long in effect Stiles.” Peter remarked blithely, head tipped back and mouth pulled into an almost serene smile.

“What the-?” Stiles' head tipped down immediately, taking in the physical tells of his malnourishment and fatigue. “Shit. Listen Der, its not as bad as it looks. I swear!”

“What he really means is that since he can't shift he can't leave the lake, therefore he's only been eating whatever he can get while in the lake. A few small fish occasionally, maybe some aquatic plant life? Three years is a long time to starve yourself Stiles.” Deaton shook his head as he came back into the water, expression pinched as he held out a slim vial containing a viscous liquid that was almost clear.

“Stiles,” Derek hissed, pale eyes narrowed and teeth grit. “Why the hell didn't you tell me?”

“What was I supposed to say Derek? 'Hi, my name is Stiles and since I can't fend for myself out here, how about you bring me food?' Does that sound like something that would ever come out of my mouth?” Stiles glared up at the other boy just as fiercely, both hands now tangled in Derek's shirt.

“Yes, you stubborn ass. I'm your friend, it wouldn't have been any trouble at all to bring you food. God Stiles, every time I turn around you make me feel like a complete jerk. Do you even consider me your friend?” Derek's expression was stern but his eyes were bright with unshed tears as he looked the merman over again, taking in the pallid skin and too lean build. Stiles was skin and bones.

“What?!” Stiles flexed suddenly, dragging himself up and Derek down so that they were nose to nose. “You're my only goddamned friend Derek. No one else comes to see me, no one else even knows about me. I spend every damn day waiting for you to get here, spend every day anxious to hear about school or how you did at your game. And you don't think we're friends, well fuck you.” Stiles snapped, shoving Derek back and twisting sharply, swimming for deep water and going for his little overhang he liked to sleep under.


	2. After the ashes have settled, there is hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little information is gained by Derek and Stiles. The merman revealing things about himself he'd never dreamed about telling anyone before, but Derek deserves the truth, at least as much as Stiles needs to tell him now. Kate makes an appearance and neither teen is willing to abandon the other, no matter what.

Stiles didn't sleep, could barely hold still even as his body ached and trembled, amber eyes squeezed shut as sunlight filtered through the clear water. The teen didn't want to think, didn't want to acknowledge the damage he'd done to himself over the years. With his glamour gone, which he'd never taken off himself once he'd placed it, it was painfully obvious that he was starving, slowly but surely. Each rib was visible, every vertebrae pressing up through his skin almost obscenely, his slender fingers looking like they belonged on a skeleton rather than a living boy.

Stiles honestly hadn't realized it was so bad, once he'd put the glamour in place only six months after he'd come to live in the lake, he'd never taken it off, not wanting to see and not wanting Derek to see. His lake was small, and the creek that feed into it wasn't much better, any fish that managed to make it to his home were tiny. Stiles had never even considered asking Derek for food, the thought had never crossed his mind. Talia had made it clear from day one, that her pack was not to interact with the 'serpent', and that had been that. The very idea of asking Derek to do something that would have made his mother even more furious was never an option.

The merman flexed his tail slowly, sitting up to examine the length of dark blue scales critically. He'd finally finished healing, scales opalescent and perfect in the sunlight, flukes and fins back in one piece, and the webbing between his fingers no longer cracked and flaking. Stiles ran sensitive fingertips over his prominent hip bones and down over his tail, smiling faintly at the presence of firm muscle beneath the delicate scales. He'd always been proud of the color, darker than his mother's had been but similar enough that you could tell their relation.

Claudia's scales had been almost purple in the right light, and her lighter colored ones had been lilac in her youth apparently. She and Stiles had sat in the shallows going over Mer culture and etiquette, not that Stiles had really understood at the time what the changing of scale color meant. The woman had been a kind soul, always understanding of Stiles' fears and uncertainties, never making him feel wrong for not wanting to shift, never making him feel less. Claudia had told stories of her childhood off the coast of California, describing the beautiful coral and interesting fish, teaching her son about anything and everything that caught his fancy.

Stiles thought about her now, thinking fondly of the hours spent here at the lake or curled up on the couch in their living room, fantastical tales of swimming with dolphins and sharks, meeting mer's from other tribes, and deciding to walk on two legs and see the human world. Claudia had never regretted being on land, had in fact found it amazing and intriguing, but was always happy to tell Stiles of growing up in the ocean surrounded by family and friends.

The teen swam slowly toward the surface mind shifting to his friend, putting away the bittersweet memories of his mother for a later time, knowing that he shouldn't have let Derek leave without apologizing first. It wasn't the beta's fault Stiles was a stubborn jerk, and he never should have yelled at him like that, the other teen was just concerned about him. Stiles broke the surface without a sound, peering around his little clearing curiously before making his way to shore, something was glimmering in the sunlight not far from the shallows.

Stiles beached himself with practiced ease, dragging his tail over smooth pebbles and soft mud until he could reach the little vial and the slightly damp bit of paper stuck to it. The teen lifted the bottle, turning so he was resting up on his right hip to read the note attached by a strand of string. _This tincture will help to alleviate some of your malnourishment, it is not a cure, but will hopefully ease some of the more prominent side affects of not caring for yourself. I will be by late this afternoon to speak with you, please present yourself. Derek will join me._ There was no signature, but Stiles had no doubt the man from last night, Deaton, had been the one to leave the note.

The merman sighed, pulling the stopper free and downing the rather bitter liquid in one go, mouth twisting in a grimace at the taste. Stiles placed the vial well out of the reach of the water before turning and beginning the laborious process of getting back off the bank, arms trembling by the time cool water was lapping around his waist and he could finally turn fully and swim. The teen made his way into the passageway, intent on checking the extent of the damage in the Hale's basement.

Stiles popped up in the tunnel, hissing in displeasure at the sting of too hot air over his skin. The metal covering was half melted, liquid drops of red hot steel dripping into the water with a sizzle. The fire was still going, banked to near embers in some places, but not anywhere near being out. The teen could hear voices beyond the groaning and creaking of the house, professional calls and the stamp of heavy boots on the floor over head. Firefighters had finally shown up by the sound of it, a few voices raising over the others with directions or inquires on the destruction.

The merman slipped back down into the passageway, not wanting to be spotted by the workers and already having all the information he needed. The house was beyond saving, it would have to be demolished down to the basement and built from the concrete room up if the Hale's wanted a safe place to live. Stiles just hoped that whatever Talia planned for the rebuild, it would include better escape routes for her family, the thought of them being in danger like that again made the teen sick to his stomach.

Stiles swam about his lake for a while, testing out the strength in his tail to make sure he was indeed completely healed, keeping well below the surface just to be on the safe side. The teen flitted about, swimming through the silky underwater grasses that grew along the shallower edges of his lake, making sure none of the plants were sickly, long fingers plucking a few stands to munch on as he made his way to the creek. Stiles felt along the edges of the little waterway, checking for any soft spots that might try and give way in the coming months, not wanting to deal with another land slide like the year before that had left his water murky and thick for weeks.

The teen carefully adjusted a few of the smaller rocks, making sure they were firmly in place before moving on to investigate his sleeping spot. He'd managed to dig down into the clay, making the space slick and a little too firm to sleep comfortably on, so he gathered up handfuls of mud from the other side of the lake bottom to cover the clay once more. After squirming into the spot to get it just how he liked it Stiles moved closer to the surface finding a comfortable spot to doze in the late morning sun that would still keep him hidden from anyone that might come along uninvited.

~?!?~

Stiles woke up some time later with a surprised gasp, bubbles spiraling up from his mouth as he thrashed. Tremors racked his slender body as the vestiges of a nightmare clung to him with blood soaked fingers, trying to drag him back into terror. The teen pushed himself to the surface, looking around with wide amber eyes at the clearing, the ridged membrane at the tops of his ears twitching in the cool air as he tried to get his bearings and shake off the last of the dream.

Something wasn't quiet right, but the mer couldn't tell if it was just leftovers from his nightmare or if there was actually something wrong in his home. Stiles swam along the edge of his lake, peering into the treeline and over the bank, trying to spot anything that seemed off. The teen grasped onto the side of one of the boulders that framed the creek, dragging himself up until he could perch at the top, surveying the clearing critically. Nothing looked out of place, but something still didn't feel right, his skin crawling and the hair at the back of his neck standing on end.

Stiles sat there for long minutes until he picked up the sound of footsteps, immediately shimmying down into the water and tucking himself into a little crack between the boulders. Amber eyes flicked back and forth, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from, but there seemed to be two sets, one coming from directly in front of him, where Derek normal walked, and the other from his right where there was no path and nothing but trees for miles. The sounds echoed around his little clearing, making it hard to tell where people were in the woods today, but the ones in front of him definitely sounded like his beta.

Derek entered the clearing first, eyes blue in the afternoon sunlight as he peered around curiously, his ears pointed like he was listening to the footsteps as well. The beta crouched down in the underbrush, clawed hands digging into the dirt for balance as he kept himself hidden. Derek's gaze was focused off to the side, mouth held in a firm line and brow heavier than normal as he edged more into his beta shift.

“Derek?” Stiles whispered lowly, knowing the wolf could hear him even at this distance. The other teen raised a hand, head shaking slightly, but didn't make a sound as the crunch of leaves and the crackle of twigs grew louder.

The mer pressed himself more firmly into the niche of rock, heart hammering against his chest and breathing a little too quick as both teens waited. Derek lowered himself to the dirt completely, easing his shoulders under a shrub and racking a few extra leaves and branches before his hiding spot, blue eyes fading back to hazel as whoever it was got ever closer. Stiles wiggled a little farther into the water, tucking his head below an overhang and leaving just his eyes above the surface.

A woman with wavy blonde hair stepped into Stiles' clearing, a dark colored, padded jacket hiding most of her figure as she walked forward with purpose and curiosity. She looked to be in her late twenties, soft lines about her mouth and eyes, hands tucked into her pockets and stance relaxed as she came to a halt on the bank, standing beside the log. Her eyes were pale, although Stiles couldn't tell the exact color from this distance, and her full mouth was curled up into a grin that was somehow both playful and malicious.

“I know you're out here somewhere sweety, you can only hide so long before I find you. I know you helped the Hale's, I don't know why but I'll figure it out, and then I'll take all of you out. One. By. One.” The woman's voice was low, sing-song in cadence as she looked over the water with a truly vicious smile on her pretty face.

Stiles kept perfectly still, watching her every move as the woman paced around the edge of the lake, keeping a good six feet away from the water at all times. Her movements were sleek, predatory, steps nearly silent on the pebbles and leaves that littered the bank, completely unlike how she'd walked through the forest moments before. The mer kept his place, cataloging every detail he could of this woman, this hunter. There was no doubt in his mind that this was Kate Argent, part of a long line of brutal hunters and mercenaries, the woman that had tried to murder the Hale's.

Kate stayed in the clearing for a long time, walking the circumference of the lake four times before she turned and slipped back into the woods like she'd never been there. Neither teen moved for a good twenty minutes after Kate had left, keeping perfectly still in their hiding spots. Derek was the first to move, his hearing much better than the mer's as he carefully extracted himself from the shrub and crawled out into the clearing with stiff movements.

“Stiles?” The beta kept his voice low, and stayed close to the ground as he made his way to the water's edge.

“Here,” Stiles whispered back, prying his shoulder out from where he'd jammed it between the rocks and swimming closer. “Its not safe for you to be here.”

“Stiles-”

“Derek please. Kate knows I'm here now, knows I helped you guys. Its not safe for you to come here anymore.” Stiles shook his head, keeping to the deeper water, well out of Derek's reach.

“Come with me then.” Derek said simply, hazel eyes dark in the afternoon sunlight filling the clearing.

“How am I supposed to do that Der? I can't shift and we saw what happens if I'm out of water too long.” Stiles sighed, rubbing a hand over the lower half of his face as he searched the other boy's expression.

“Deaton said he had some ideas, he should be here before too long. Just, please hear him out Stiles. You're in danger too, because of me.” Derek yanked off his shoes and socks, rolling up his jeans with quick jerks of his hands.

“What are you doing?” Stiles inquired, brow furrowed as the beta stood up and placed his shoes aside.

“Coming to you since you won't come to me. Dammit Stiles, you're my best friend and I'm scared for you, okay? Its my fault she knows about this place and I'm going to do everything I can to make up for it.” Derek stepped into the water, hands held out to his sides as his bare feet slipped over the pebbles.

Stiles sighed, swimming into the shallows and pulling himself closer so that Derek didn't wind up soaked again. The beta grinned brightly, expression softening as he crouched down, broad hands curling around the mer's shoulders and tugging gently until Stiles was wedged between his knees.

“You're going to get all wet.” The brunette mumbled, burying his face against the other boys firm chest and rubbing his cheek against the warm cotton.

“Don't care.” Derek muttered back, arms tight around Stiles' shoulders as he clutched the merman close. “I'm sorry about this morning, I was scared and hurt, but I wasn't really mad at you. You had your reasons for not telling me, for not letting me help. They were probably dumb reasons, but you thought they were important.”

“They were not dumb, you jerk!” Stiles grumbled lifting his head long enough to glare up into amused hazel eyes before pressing his face back into soft cotton. “Talia made it clear, when she was out here locking the gate, that I was not to come near her pack. I don't know why she fears me so much, but she does and I didn't want to risk you getting into any more trouble because of me.”

“Stiles, I have a couple more years were it isn't going to matter what my mom wants, its really hard to control teenagers when they're human, let alone when they are werewolves. Unless she goes full alpha on me, I can resist her demands, and she'd never hurt me, at least not physically. You're important to me, I care about you and your well-being, I want you safe and happy and healthy, and if that means getting yelled at by my mom because I'm bringing you food as well as spending time with you, then so be it.” Derek tightened his grip a little more, pressing his face into Stiles' wet hair and breathing in raggedly.

“Okay. But you're leaving soon, aren't you?” Stiles inquired softly, squeezing his eyes shut and trying to ignore the way his chest twinged painfully at the mere thought of the other boy leaving him out here alone.

“Not for at least a week, it apparently takes a lot of work to move over a dozen people across country even when we have no possessions.” Derek shrugged, sitting down in the waist high water and tugging Stiles into his lap fully. “What's your favorite food? Something you haven't had in three years that you really want?”

“Dude, you're soaked!” Stiles tried to pull away, webbed hands pushing at Derek's chest and meeting the grinning beta's gaze head on.

“Yup, now, food?” Derek just kept smiling, shoulders relaxed and expression open as he waited patiently for Stiles to give up.

“Ugh, you are such a jerk.” The merman grumbled, finally slumping into Derek's embrace and crossing his arms over his chest. “Curly fries, from the diner near the high school. It was my dad's favorite place to eat after a rough day, and they use mom's recipe for pies, at least they did.”

“Its still the same I think, it never tastes any different when we go, I had no idea that was your mom's recipe though, that's awesome!” Derek grinned, ruffling Stiles' hair and taking the splash he received in return with good grace. “Alright, curly fries. Anything else?”

“Eh, not really. Everything sounds good if I'm being honest, but those would be amazing.” Stiles sighed wistfully, leaning into Derek's chest and looking up at the other boy with a soft smile, reveling in the warmth radiating from the beta's solid frame.

“Come with me. I'll put you in the bath tub or something.” Derek murmured, arms tightening around Stiles' chest as the merman squirmed with incredulous laughter.

“Derek, I won't fit in a bath tub. My tail is roughly five feet long, and I may be flexible but there is no way I can curl myself comfortably into a conventional sized tub.” Stiles shook his head, smiling sadly up at the other teen.

“It was worth a try,” the beta mumbled, bowing his head and scraping his cheek over Stiles' in a very lupine fashion. “I want you to come with us, or me stay here. Kate knows where you are now, its not safe for you in the lake anymore, and that's my fault. I should be the one to fix it.” The dark haired boys expression was melancholy, hazel eyes intense from only a few inches away.

“Derek, its not your fault, and I'll be fine, I promise. This Deaton guy will hopefully help me figure something out, and even if he doesn't its really hard to get rid of a mer, we're resilient.” Stiles grinned, bringing his hands up to wrap around the beta's forearms and squeezing gently, gazing up into Derek's face.

“She's inhumane Stiles, her whole family is. I doubt Kate will stop till she's seen your skeleton with her own eyes.” Derek shook his head, expression going tight and eyes narrowed in the afternoon sunlight, mouth twisted into a deep frown.

“You are very right about that young Mr. Hale.” Deaton murmured as he stepped into the clearing, startling both boys badly.

“Holy shit!” Stiles gasped, tail flexing and splashing both teen's in muddy water, hands tightening almost painfully around Derek's arms as he twisted to look at the dark skinned man.

“How the fuck do you do that?” Derek growled, blue eyes focused on Deaton with deadly intensity, arms locked tight around Stiles and feet braced against the slick ground, whole body tensed and trembling with suppressed movement, something inherently protective about the beta.

“My apologies boys, I did not mean to startle you, but the Argent's are in the preserve today, I had to mask my presence. Now, Stiles, did you drink the tincture I left for you?” Deaton settled on the log, deep brown eyes focused intently on the teens.

“Yeah, tasted like dried leaves, but yeah.” The merman nodded, relaxing slightly in Derek's embrace, patting the other teen's chest until his grip loosened minutely.

“Very good, that should help to reverse some of the damage you've done to your body, now we must focus on your spark. My hope, is that by the end of the week we can get you to shift back to your human form.” Deaton leaned forward, elbows braced on his thighs and gaze intense as he looked the mer over.

Stiles hadn't had the strength to put his glamour back in place, just thinking about it had given him a dizzy spell earlier, so his painfully thin body was on full display. His stomach concave and the lines of his cheekbones stark on his too thin face. The mer turned his head away, shame coloring his pale cheeks as he looked anywhere but at the other two males.

“Hey, we'll fix this, okay? I'll help in any way I can, but we'll get you back to normal.” Derek smiled gently, tipping Stiles' chin up with one wide hand, expression open and sincere.

“Dude, I've never been normal.” Stiles intoned dryly, smiling softly in response to Derek's before focusing back on the older man. “So what's the plan, and who are you exactly? I've I don't think I've ever met you before.”

“My name is Alan Deaton, and I'm the local veterinarian.”

“Mom called you emissary, what's that?” Derek frowned, brow furrowed as he looked the man over. Deaton wasn't very tall, of average height and build from what Stiles had seen of him, with a pleasant enough face and demeanor, but there wasn't anything remarkable about him as far as the mer could tell. No powerful presence or sense of power about him, nothing in his mannerisms or the way he held himself that spoke of someone with innate ability.

“An emissary is some one that acts as an adviser. Usually between the supernatural community and the human one. I don't do much of that any more seeing as alpha Hale told me I would not be needed when she took over the pack almost twenty years ago. I assisted Claudia and John Stilinski, helping your mother to transition to human life and then, a few years later, aided her when she gave birth to you.” Deaton looked the mer over, a soft smile pulling at his mouth.

“I didn't realize there was someone that did that. Never really thought about it honestly, but it certainly makes sense.” Stiles blinked slowly, mind processing this new bit of information and filing it away for later perusal, there were more important things for them to discuss beyond his past and that of his parents.

“That still doesn't explain why Stiles has been left out here for three years to fend for himself when you should have been helping him.” Derek said, eyes narrowed and lips pressed into a stern line.

“That is true, and I must apologize for my failure in keeping up my vow to your parents. I did not realize the extent of your confinement, I thought Talia had taken you in. I knew that Derek was visiting you regularly, I had no idea that he was doing it without his mother's permission. As alpha of the territory it is Talia's duty to protect and support all the supernatural beings here, it is the mantel she donned the day she became alpha after her father passed away. I was unaware that she had shunned you.” Deaton looked equal parts furious and saddened by his admittance.

“You mean my mom should have been helping? She should have been checking up on him and feeding him? Making sure that Stiles was okay?” Derek's frown was at epic levels, thick brows drawn down over infuriated hazel eyes and teeth grit behind lips that had curled back.

“Yes.” Deaton said simply, arms crossing over his chest as he leaned back and watched Derek's face intently, looking perfectly calm and composed in the face of barely leashed aggression, seeming to have realized that it wasn't directed at him.

“What the hell is her problem then?” The beta demanded, turning them to face the older man fully, keeping Stiles tucked close to his chest with his knees even as he dug his claws into the mud and leaned forward over the mer's torso. Stiles was twisted up in the shallow water, flukes floating along the surface and brushing over Derek's submerged right hand, the sinuous length of his tail half curled back toward his waist. The position was awkward, but not overly uncomfortable, Stiles kept his shoulders relaxed as the beta panted against the back of his neck, anger and hurt clear in every line of his body that was pressed flush to the mer's back.

“I don't have the answer to that, I'm afraid.” The emissary shook his head, hands clasped between his knees and shoulders shrugging up briefly. “But I do know that if she runs from the Argent's as she plans to, someone else will most likely come in and take the territory. Talia is going to forfeit your family's land if she takes all of you to New York as she intends and the upheaval of power could be deadly for those of us left behind.”

“You mean another werewolf pack could move in here? But why? Its been Hale land since before the town was built.” Derek's expression relaxed slightly, hands coming up to wrap around Stiles' arms and draw the mer closer against his chest so he was no long curled forward over his folded tail.

“Beacon Hills, or what has become Beacon Hills, is actually an impressive expanse of land, a couple hundred square miles, that houses a powerful Nematon. A place were the leylines converged and formed an epicenter of power and magic. The Hale family have guarded it and all who choose to live here peacefully for hundreds of years, your mother is well aware of this fact and that the only thing that keeps this place safe is the presence of the Hale family. If the pack is moved, if the alpha leaves the territory, many will come to claim it.” Deaton looked between the teens with something close to sadness in his dark eyes.

“You mean if she leaves, this place is going to turn into a war zone for the supernaturals?” Stiles whispered, lips parted as he looked back at Derek with fear wide eyes, his heart thudding hard against his ribs for a few beats. The mere thought of the possible destruction was enough to make him feel sick, according to his parents, this territory hadn't faced any major strife in the entirety of its long history. Dealing with it now, in this day and age, it was a surefire way to expose them all to the human populace.

“Yes. If Talia takes her pack and runs, even if only for a short time, there is a good chance that not only will the Argent's wreak havoc on the creatures that already live here, but that some will come to take the land. It will be a battle like this place has never seen before, for the Hale's took the land from no one, simply chose it for their home and settled it before anyone else had gotten here. Not only other werewolf packs will come, this land is precious to the entire supernatural community, creatures will come from all over for the chance to claim it as their own.”

“Oh god. What is Talia thinking?” Stiles whimpered, clutching at Derek with sharp fingertips. “She'll let this whole place be destroyed just because she hates me?”

“I don't know Stiles, I wish I did. The Hale pack, as it is here, is too small to fight, but most don't know that, or that the majority of the remaining pack is children. That is what keeps the land safe, others not realizing that the Hale's have dwindled or moved away to build their homes in other places.” Deaton rubbed his hands together briskly, looking around the clearing curiously, trying to distance himself from the turmoil the two teens before him were feeling.

“What brought the Argent's in then?” Stiles asked, amber eyes squinted and mouth pursed as his mind raced. This place wasn't known for anything odd happening, even the crime rate was incredibly low, there should have been nothing to draw the Argent's attention. But they were here, had managed to locate the prominent Hale family and come to the correct conclusion that they were werewolves, all in a matter of a couple short months as far as Stiles knew.

“That I don't know. The Argent family is best known as being werewolf hunters, but they will take on any creature they deem dangerous. Why they chose the Hale family is uncertain considering this place has lived in peace for a very long time. But maybe that is the reason, they can't accept that a pack of what they think of as monsters can live normal, peaceful lives.” Deaton's shoulders rolled in a shrug as he brought his gaze back to the teenagers. “There is little that I can do to change Talia's mind, but I will try. If I fail to convince her to stay I will rally the other family heads of the supernatural community here and attempt to band them together.”

“Will that work? Will it be enough to protect this place?” Stiles' voice was low, body trembling minutely even in Derek's warm embrace, the beta nuzzling behind his frilled ear and one hand pressed to the middle of Stiles' chest, right over his still thundering heart.

“We can only hope. If Talia can not be persuaded to stay, we will have to fend for ourselves and hope that when others come we can weather the fight. If we are lucky they will come and try to make the acquisition of land proper, getting permission from the other families first.”

“And if they don't, its going to be a blood bath, with innocent lives lost because Talia is afraid of something.” Stiles shook his head, running webbed fingers through his nearly dry hair and squinting down at his tail in the slightly murky water.

“Not something, someone.” Deaton said calmly, gaze intense as he stared at the merman.

“But why?” Stiles cried out, sitting up sharply, tail lashing the water as his hands clenched tightly in his hair. “What have I done to her? We've barely spoken, hardly been in the same location at the same time, and I'm pathetic compared to her.”

“In what way?” Deaton inquired calmly, brows arced as he continued to stare at the teen, expression keen and mouth tipped up at one corner.

“I'm physically weaker than her, by a lot. I'm smaller in stature, younger, less experienced, and never had to actually fight a day in my life. She's an alpha werewolf, with her pack behind her, giving her even more strength.” Stiles rattled off quickly, waving a hand through the air as he wrinkled his nose.

“Is it?”

“What?” Stiles croaked, looking at the older man in confusion.

“Is the pack truly behind her?” Those dark, calculating eyes looked over Stiles' shoulder, focusing on the beta werewolf.

“Holy shit.” Stiles whispered, turning to look at the other boy with wide eyes and parted lips.

“What is it? Stiles, why are you looking at me like that?” Derek frowned, bringing his hands up to gently curl around Stiles' broad shoulders and leaning into the merman's face, peering intensely into bright amber eyes.

“Holy shit,” Stiles whispered again, really seeing his friend for the first time since Derek had shown up at his lake last night, terrified and dirty.

“Stiles?” The beta murmured, those incredible hazel eyes flicking over the merman's face worriedly, mouth twisted into a frown.

“You came to me.” Stiles murmured, pulling his hands free of his hair and resting both of them on Derek's chest, amber eyes wide and searching as he looked over the other teen with purpose. Taking in the dilated pupils, flared nostrils, pursed lips, and the high flags of red decorating the older boy's cheekbones.

“I, yeah, I did, so?” Derek frowned, expression still confused as he glanced over at Deaton before focusing on Stiles once more.

“You didn't seek out an adult, or try and call for help did you? You just came straight to me when you realized you couldn't get into the house. You didn't know about the tunnel, had no idea there was another way in, just came to me for help. Don't you understand Der? Peter helped me too, even Laura accepted my assistance immediately. Maria didn't question me being there, and the children didn't shy away when I showed up and took charge. Everyone accepted me being there except your mother.”

Derek's frown deepened, mouth opening and closing as he looked between the two in confusion, head shaking slightly. Stiles sighed, turning completely and tucking his tail beneath him so he was higher than the other boy, expression soft as he moved his hands up to gently cup Derek's face. The beta held perfectly still, not trying to pull away or demand why Stiles was touching him so intimately, something they had certainly never done before.

“I am an alpha, technically. My parents are dead, and with their passing I became alpha of my tribe, even if I have no tribe to be alpha of, it doesn't change the fact that I am indeed an alpha in my own right. You sought me out, seeking me for comfort and guidance because you couldn't get to your own alpha, even if you didn't consciously realize that is what you were doing. And I responded as such, put aside my obvious limitations and did what I could to help you and your pack.” Stiles smiled gently, watching the emotions flit across Derek's face as the other teen processed this information.

“Holy shit,” Derek whispered, eyes wide as he searched Stiles' face in wonder, his own hands coming up to curl around the mer's lean biceps.

“Indeed, now that we've cleared things up a little, I suggest we start working on getting Stiles' legs back. If Talia does leave, Stiles is the most capable of leading the remaining families.” Deaton said calmly as he gained his feet and walked to the waters edge.

“I, what?” Stiles turned his head, looking at the older man through narrowed eyes, hands still curled around Derek's face tenderly.

“You are from the second oldest family in the area, the title of territory alpha will fall to you if Talia leaves, in which case we need to get you back on your feet, quiet literally in this case. The other families will defer to you, and though they won't begrudge your inability to shift, it will hinder you greatly in the coming months.” The emissary stated calmly, expression serene as he came to a halt with water lapping around his sturdy boots, and hands tucked into his pockets.

“Wait, if Stiles is an alpha, couldn't I stay with him if mom leaves?” Derek inquired, bringing the conversation back around and frowning slightly as he looked up at Deaton as well.

“I'm afraid that though you can defer to an alpha of a different species, you are still a werewolf and Stiles is still merman. Your chemical make ups are different, even though you can seek him for comfort or direction, he can't provide what an alpha werewolf can. Stiles may smell and even feel like an alpha to you, but he can't give you the mental stability that an alpha werewolf can, the pack bond isn't there.” Deaton shook his head, looking genuinely saddened to admit such a thing to the teens. “I apologize for getting your hopes up Derek, but you must stay with pack, with an alpha werewolf, if you wish to not become an omega.”

“Dammit,” Derek muttered, pulling away from Stiles' hands finally and stumbling to his feet, pacing through the shallow water and crossing his arms over his chest as he looked anywhere but at the other teen.

“I'm sorry,” Stiles whispered, curling his hands into fists and resting them on his curled tail, head bowed as his shoulders heaved for a moment with a few deep breaths.

“Its not your fault Stiles, I just hate this. Hate that I'm going to have to leave if my mother decides to run away from her responsibilities. Not only abandoning you but my home as well, and I have no choice in it!” Derek jerked to a halt, turning so that he was facing both males, eyes electric blue and something dark flitting across his expression, anger and resentment pouring off the dark haired teen in waves.

“That is not your fault either Mr. Hale. Talia will not be able to run forever, she will be imposing on another alpha in New York, many actually. If she wishes to not be constantly challenged, she will return, or she will pass the alpha abilities to Laura willingly.” Deaton's voice was low and soothing, posture relaxed as he spoke to the beta calmly.

“She could do that?” Derek asked, facing Deaton directly, hands fisted against his hips now and the hard line of his mouth softening in wonder. Anger easing into something a bit more tame as his shoulders relaxed as well.

“Of course, there are three ways to become an alpha. Stealing it by killing an alpha, acquiring it through the death of the current pack alpha, or having it passed down through the bloodline. The last two are usually only in well established packs. There is a way to pass on the alpha status without death. Its actually the most common form of ascension in family packs, no one wants their parent to die just so they can become alpha. Usually it is passed on when the eldest child reaches adulthood, sometime after they have reached the age of majority, usually depending on the age of the parent and when they feel their heir is ready to take over the pack.” Deaton shrugged slightly, looking like he was truly in his element as he gave the teen's information they had never been privy to before.

“Does my mom know this?” Derek asked lowly, eyes back to human hazel but still narrowed in the warm sunlight.

“I would assume so. Her father passed in an accident, but she was more than old enough to have been taught the proper forms of ascension. Timothy Hale intended to move out of the Hale House when Talia was old enough to take over, he'd hoped to wait till she started a family though, instead of at a specific age.”

“What if Laura challenged her now? She's almost nineteen.” Derek inquired, arms now crossed over his chest.

“That would be up to Laura of course, but a challenge is normally decided in a battle or duel of some kind. Usually to third blood if I remember correctly, it is not a common practice unless the pack feel their alpha is no longer capable of leading them properly but the alpha doesn't agree.” Deaton hummed softly, watching the beta with clear, dark eyes as the teen processed this new information.

Derek began pacing again, hands racking through his dark hair as his eyes focused on nothing, movements tense. Stiles watched him closely, trying to project calm thoughts every time the other teen came close in the hope of easing whatever burden Derek was trying to work through. The beta muttered something too low for Stiles to hear before coming to a stop before the mer and squinting down at him.

“Would you support Laura if she challenged?” The dark haired teen's voice was gruff and low, lips barely parting around the words and shoulders so stiff they looked like they would snap at the slightest provocation.

“I. Derek I don't really have a say, its within your pack, if I stepped in and claimed to support a challenger to your mother, she'd tear me apart. And she'd have every right to do so. As it stands, if she makes a move against me now I have every right to defend myself and call in the other alpha's as back up. But I can't make a direct move against her, then she would have the same ability to rally the other alpha's with her. We are at a stalemate, its probably the only reason she hasn't tried to kill me yet.” Stiles shook his head sadly, turning his face away from the other boy and looking out over his little lake.

“But that doesn't make any sense!” Derek cried out, a hand lashing through the air as he took a step closer. “You are the second ranked alpha in the territory, she should be seeking your council, not alienating you or trying to kill you through sheer neglect.”

“That is true,” Deaton murmured, nodding at Derek in acknowledgment. “Talia should have been guiding you these past three years to make you a reliable ally, instead she has spent her time trying to starve you out, whether through lack of sustenance or lack of physical contact.”

“What do you mean?” Derek inquired, turning to the older man again and missing the way Stiles flinched, curling in on himself.

“Mer are incredibly tactile creatures. Their tribes are usually large, and span multiple generations living together. The fact that your mother specifically banned the pack from contact with Stiles tells us that she knew this, or guessed at it. She was trying to break his spirit.” Deaton's voice was low, stilted as he looked at the young beta. “Mer require the closeness of kin, its how they grow and learn, how they develop properly.”

“I don't understand.” Derek mumbled, looking back at Stiles' huddled form with thick brows drawn down and a look of complete confusion on his handsome face.

“Don't. Please.” Stiles' voice was low, head still bowed and hands now buried in the mud beside him, shoulders hunched up around his ears as he bit at his lower lip in distress.

“My apologies Stiles.” The emissary murmured, bowing deeply at the waist and stepping back. “If you would prefer it, I will return tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thank you,” the mer replied, head still bent toward the clear water, refusing to look at either of them.

“Very well, I shall return at about this time tomorrow, I recommend you stay out of sight as much as possible in the mean time.” Deaton turned, inclined his head to Derek, then swiftly and silently left the clearing, disappearing from sight and hearing as soon as he passed under the treeline.

“Stiles?” Derek's voice was soft as he stepped closer, only to halt when the brunette flinched as the water lapped around his waist from the movement. “Stiles, what's wrong? Are you okay?”

“I. I know we always joke that I'm only a few months younger than you, but its not entirely true. Sure, age wise we're only about four months apart, but I'm not. I haven't.” Stiles swallowed thickly, hands digging into the pebbles and mud as he shook his head. “I've always been little for my age, I never got to know my mother's tribe and therefore never had the advanced support system a mer should while growing up. The fact that mom couldn't have more kids was always a struggle, we needed a bigger family, but it wasn't possible.”

“Stiles?” Derek inquired softly, hazel eyes wide in confusion and uncertainty as he held perfectly still in the calf high water.

“Just, please just let me get this out.”

“Alright, I'm sorry, go on.” Derek whispered kneeling down in the water again, still mostly behind and to the right of the mer, but Stiles could see him clearly out of the corner of his eye without turning his head.

“I'm small of stature, I was only about five feet when we had the accident, and though I certainly look bigger like this I'm tiny compared to a normal teen mer. My tail should be nearly seven feet in length by now, but I'm not growing. I haven't physically changed much since mom died. That's because mer require the close presence of tribe to grow, to mature, I'm still technically a thirteen year old physically.” Stiles ran his hands over the thick curve of his tail, shifting his weight so he was rested up on his right hip instead of his curled tail, flukes catching the afternoon sun and reflecting blue and purple across the water.

Derek frowned, lips pursed as he looked over the other teen critically. It was hard to tell what Stiles was supposed to look like given his malnutrition. He was much too skinny and the musculature he should have been sporting for a sixteen year old boy that spent his days swimming wasn't there. The beta had assumed it was because Stiles was starving, but apparently he was starving from more than just lack of food, Derek honestly couldn't imagine what it must have been like, to want and need physical closeness but not be able to have it for three years.

“So you,” the beta paused, uncertain how to go on, having trouble processing the implications before him.

“I haven't hit puberty yet, I may never at this point since I have no tribe. If I can get my legs back I'll still look like I did at thirteen, maybe a little taller but even that's doubtful, and that may never change. Hence why its so dangerous for mer to leave their tribes, especially before they reach maturity. Once a mer has gone through puberty and reached their full length, if they wish to leave and start their own families or travel, it is encouraged, in the hope they will return to the tribe with their intended partner and therefore strengthen the tribe.” Stiles sighed, finally lifting his head and looking at Derek with wet amber eyes, expression closed off and gaze distant.

“We'd already been planning a trip to visit mom's tribe, since she couldn't have anymore kids and I wasn't growing, my parents feared something like this happening. Not their premature death of course, but me getting stuck, as it were.” The mer shrugged, eyes finally focusing on Derek's face as his lips trembled.

“So you can't,” Derek frowned again, mouth twisting slightly as his eyes flicked over Stiles' face. “You aren't aging? Physically at least?”

“Technically, I'm in a kind of stasis physically, if I had a tribe it would probably only take me a couple years to catch up, as long as the tribe was big enough, but as I am here, I highly doubt I'll be able to on my own. Mentally I'm still growing and advancing, as long as I have outside stimulus in that department I'm fine, conversation or books or school. As long as I don't get cut off completely I won't be stuck entirely. But physically, and a little bit in the emotional response department, I'm a fair bit behind.” Stiles shrugged minutely, hands twisting together in his lap as he watched the play of emotion over the other teen's face intently.

“What do you mean, emotional response?” Derek shuffled a little closer, still not close enough to touch, or to make Stiles feel trapped, but closing the distance between them all the same.

“I can't respond the same way someone my age should be able to. You can treat it like being emotionally deprived if you want, my mind doesn't connect certain emotions with certain events. Those mental pathways haven't been created because I'm not maturing and because I haven't been exposed to anyone but you for the past three years, so when I touch you its warm and feels nice, and I can acknowledge that you're pleasing to look at but that's it. I can't tell you if I'm gay or straight or bi or asexual, because I can't respond to that kind of stimuli, I don't know how and I'm not physically mature enough to do so.” Stiles frowned and sighed, shaking his head a little and looking up at Derek with a calmer expression. “I'm sorry, I'm not explaining this very well.”

“No, I think I get it. At least it explains why you never really seemed interested when I talked about Paige, or celebrities I thought were attractive. And most teenage guys talk about wet dreams at least a little, you've never mentioned one, or anything like that. Although I just thought its because you're built differently than me.” Derek flushed slightly, rubbing a hand over the back of his head and averting his gaze.

“I assure you, when I have my legs, I'm very much male, and I identify as such. I just don't feel arousal, that could be because that's just how I am, but more likely its because my brain hasn't developed properly. And it may never, since I have no tribe.” Stiles shrugged, smiling softly at Derek's pink cheeks and flustered expression. “I'm sorry if this makes you uncomfortable.”

“No! No its not that, its just, I've mentioned some pretty embarrassing stuff over the years, and I figured you weren't talking about that stuff too because you were shy or, you know-.” Derek waved a hand between them, his blush deepening and spreading to the tips of his ears. “But its really because you've never experienced any of it before, and because you technically aren't old enough, I guess. I just feel bad for not realizing it sooner.”

“The topics don't bother me to discuss, I just don't have any first hand input to give. And don't feel bad for not noticing something I didn't want you to notice, I was trying to hide the fact that I wasn't like you, I didn't want to alienate my only friend. I'm weird enough without this.” Stiles rubbed his hands up and down his tail in an anxious movement, bottom lip tucked between his teeth and gaze focused on the webbed appendages.

“You aren't weird Stiles, well you are, but in a good way.” Derek grinned, sending the other boy a wink that had them both chuckling quietly. “This doesn't change the fact that we're friends, or how I feel about you. I still care about you, and want what's best for you, even if you can't return those feelings, its okay. As long as you're okay with me feeling this way, I can not express it as much if you'd be more comfortable that way.” Derek shrugged, edging a little closer until he could gently place a hand over the mer's shoulder, thick brows reaching towards his hairline as he looked into the merman's face attentively.

“I love you,” Stiles said simply, expression open and easy even as Derek's hazel eyes went wide and he looked stunned, full lips parting around a soundless gasp. “You're the only reason I know my dad is dead, you brought me his badge even though you had to have stolen it, and therefore could have gotten in a lot of trouble for it. And I still can't thank you enough for that, by the way.” Stiles ducked his head for a moment, smiling down at the water lapping at his waist.

“You come to spend time with me almost every day, regardless of what your mother might do. Even though you aren't mer, I think of you as part of my tribe, for what good it does us. You're my best friend, someone I know I can rely on and trust implicitly. I cherish what we have, and didn't want to ruin it or mess it up somehow.” Stiles smiled sadly, sliding his webbed hand over Derek's, watching the other teen's expression closely.

“I. Wow, I didn't except that.” The beta murmured, still looking a little gobsmacked as he tightened his fingers around Stiles' shoulder. “Not that I'm complaining, I just wasn't excepting you to say it. I love you too, you weirdo.” The older boy grinned widely, the blush on his cheeks easing a little as he scooted closer, knees pressed to the side of Stiles' tail, just under the fins that flared out at his hips.

“I always try to be honest with you, sometimes its hard. Mer's are secretive by nature and I grew up knowing I could never tell any of my peers what I was, what my mother was. I learned that as a toddler as my mom was teaching me how to talk. That there are things I would never be able to tell my human friends, that I always had to keep hidden. I know that I can tell you anything, that you won't betray that trust, but old habits die hard, heh.” Stiles grinned, amber eyes bright and content in the warm sunlight, whole body finally relaxing as Derek returned the expression.

“You can tell me anything, always. You know all my secrets, seems only fair I get to know a few of yours, right?” The dark haired boy tilted his head to the side, a very canine showing of curiosity, Stiles could practically see a tail wagging behind the other teen.

“Of course, there are somethings I can't tell you, somethings that I have to keep hidden because they are secrets of my whole species, not just mine and I can't tell them. But I'll always be as candid as possible with you. I want to.” The mer shifted a little closer, twisting at his waist so he could curl his tail around Derek's kneeling form and continue to face him at the same time, placing one hand in the mud to anchor him in place and keeping the other in contact with the beta.

“Good, I'm glad. So, you listening to me rant about Paige was just you humoring the love struck idiot, huh?”

“Heh, yes and no. I love hearing about your friends and family, like listening to you talk about the people you care about, it makes me feel like I'm not so trapped out here. But there was definitely some humor involved, cause you were such a cute mess. I'm still really sorry about what happened to Paige, I'm sorry you had to lose her, had to ease her suffering. That's something no one should ever have to go through.” Stiles ducked his head, fingers spasming as Derek gently took his hand.

“I'm glad you were here, I know I was an asshole, and that I wasn't a good friend there for a long while, but I'm glad I had you. If I didn't, I'd still blame myself for what happened, even though there was no way I could have done anything differently, even though I knew it wasn't actually my fault. I wasn't the one that brought her out to the preserve, I wasn't the one to expose her to werewolves, I kept that part of myself hidden from her. It was all that jerk Ennis' fault, and I swear if I ever see him again I'm going to rip his throat out with my teeth.” Derek growled the last part, eyes flashing blue for a moment and hand tightening around Stiles' for a brief instant.

“I know, and if I have my way, I'll be there to hold the asshole down for you.” Stiles smiled widely, sharp teeth on display and expression decidedly vicious. “I just wish I could have been there for you more, I know you came here every day after it happened, and I understand what you said about the whole anchor thing, which don't even pretend that its not a big deal, nice try though.”

Derek tipped his head down, his lips pressed into a firm line as he nodded. “Yeah, it is, but I didn't want you to get overwhelmed or anything. I just, you're the reason I have such great control over my shift now. After Paige died, I didn't think I would ever get it right again, probably hormones and teenage angst more than anything, but I really believed I was going to be stuck. That I was never going to be trusted around humans again because I couldn't keep my claws and fangs put away. That every time I felt too emotional my eyes would turn blue and someone would find out, someone would see.”

“Hey, I get it. When I was little, after I shifted for the first time, in the middle of bath time with my dad by the way, I had a really hard time not sprouting scales every time I got a little water on me. Washing my hands? Oh my god, I'd have scales up to my elbows in seconds. Brushing my teeth? They'd sharpen almost as soon as the toothbrush was in my mouth. Mom thought it was hilarious, dad about had a heart attack on more than one occasion when he'd help me wash my hands while we were out in public. It took me a few years to get it under wraps, to not have to concentrate so hard ever time I was near water.” Stiles shrugged with an easy grin, amber eyes dark as he remembered his parents fondly.

“They were great people, I hope you realize that. I remember your mom, she'd pick you up from school every day. And your dad was the best sheriff this town has seen in years, even my dad thought so. Never think what happened to them was your fault, they loved you more than anything, you could see it every time you guys were together.” Derek brought both hands up to cup over Stiles' shoulders, leaning in until he could touch their brows together.

“Thanks big guy, I appreciate it. I miss them, I still dream about the day of the accident.” The mer whispered the last part, blinking rapidly to halt the tears threatening to fall from his suddenly stinging eyes.

“I'm sorry. I know its not the same, but I still dream about killing Paige. I can remember the way her hair smelled, the feeling of her pain as I tried to pull it away, the sound of her last breath as I sank my claws into her. I know it hurts, and I'm sorry you had to go through it twice, I'm sorry I had to tell you about your dad. That was something I never wanted to do, and never want to do again if I can help it.” Derek shivered, gently rubbing his cheek against Stiles', smearing the few escaped tears into both of their skin and pressing a barely there kiss at the hinge of the brunette's jaw.

“You're a good person Derek Hale, never change.” Stiles murmured, meeting the dark haired boys gaze head on when Derek settled back on his haunches, those hazel eyes bright with unshed tears. “Thank you, you're a great friend, better than I ever could have hoped for.”

“Aw, now you're just flattering me.” The beta grinned, rubbing his thumbs under Stiles' eyes to wipe away the last of his tears.

“Well of course!” The mer chirped, laughing as Derek wrinkled his nose. “You're easy to please, how can I miss a perfect opportunity?”

“Hey now, I am not easy!” The beta said with a roll of his eyes, both teen's giggling now. “Oh, its getting late, you want me to go get those curly fries for you? Maybe some pie?”

“Really? That would be awesome Der! Stiles tackled the other boy into the shallows, still giggling even as Derek spluttered and cursed, hands flailing as he tried to wipe muddy water out of his face.

“You're terrible, I was wet enough!” The beta cried out, heaving himself back upright, Stiles still sprawled across his chest.

“Never!” The mer said tartly, putting his nose in the air even as Derek shoved him over into the water.

“Jerk,” the older teen muttered, shaking out his hands and hair, sending muddy droplets everywhere causing Stiles to laugh all the harder.

“You look like a wet dog.”

“Those are fighting words Stilinski, and you know it.” Derek muttered lowly, eyes flashing blue before he leaped at the mer with a ferocious snarl.

Stiles fell back into the water with a breathless shriek, bringing his hands up to fend the other boy off as Derek proceeded to tickle over his ribs and under his arms, the mer twisting and laughing helplessly. “Der! No! Stop it, oh my god!” The beta pulled back after a couple more presses of his fingers, both of them panting for air.

“Now, can you behave yourself while I go and get you something to eat?” Derek inquired, kneeling beside the merman as Stiles reclined back in the shallows, both of them grinning as water dripped down their faces.

“I always behave myself,” Stiles said tartly, tipping his nose up again and smiling brightly as Derek laughed.

“Uh huh, sure you do. I'll be back in a little bit, be careful, okay?” Derek gained his feet, hands around Stiles' shoulders for balance as the mer looked up at him with a soft smile.

“You too.” The brunette whispered, amber eyes almost glowing in the afternoon sunlight as Derek bent at the waist and wrapped his arms around Stiles' chest, squeezing gently. “Thank you.”

“Any time. I mean it. I'll see you in a little.” Derek pulled away slowly, making sure Stiles was steady before letting go completely and heading for shore. The beta slipped over the pebbles just like he had the night before, Stiles attempted to stifle his laughter, but from the look Derek sent him he didn't manage it all that well.

“Sorry, its just so funny. Big bad werewolf slips on little pebbles, I thought you were more graceful.”

“I am on dry land you jerk. You aren't so graceful in the shallows either you know? Shouldn't be talking crap you punk.” Derek stuck his tongue out, settling on the log and pulling his socks on over wet, dirty feet.

“That is so gross Hale.”

“Seriously? I didn't think to bring a towel, I'll get over it, just a little mud.” The beta shrugged, lips still curled up in a tiny grin as he shoved his feet into his sneakers and tied them quickly. “I'll be back as soon as I can, its about a half hour drive there, depending on traffic. Please stay out of sight till I get back.”

“I will Der, don't worry. I know how to keep myself hidden, and I seriously doubt Kate will be back today. I'll see you in an hour or two, go on.” Stiles waved both hands, balancing on his right hip carefully and grinning as Derek waved back.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to keep things vague, probably not doing a great job, but I'm trying. Stiles talks about some things in this chapter that he's kept hidden the majority of his life, but he thinks Derek deserves to know the truth, at least as much as Stiles is willing to tell him at the moment. Please keep in mind, we are getting this information from Stiles and he really doesn't know how to talk about it, its a simple lack of knowledge on his part. Also keep in mind, in this story Stiles is physically and emotionally thirteen, he hasn't gone through puberty yet and all the changes that has on the body and mind.


	3. Once hope has bloomed, sorrow may come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kate has returned, and with her comes turmoil and strife for our young Merman. Derek will stop at nothing to save him, and no one will stop him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is torture and suggestive themes in this chapter, please be aware of this, I apologize in advance. We get some Derek POV this chapter, I felt it was necessary for the story line, let me know what you think.

Stiles waited until Derek had left the clearing and he could no longer hear the other teen's footsteps before turning and diving towards the middle of the lake, mind racing. He'd learned a lot today, more than he'd anticipated. The mer had known on some level about the alpha thing, it had crossed his mind before, but only in passing, because he'd never been prepared for a leadership role, he'd been too young when his parents died to have needed that kind of training.

The Stilinski family had been tight knit, John and Claudia doting on their only son with love and affection, but none of them had been prepared for the accident that had taken Claudia's life, left Stiles trapped in the lake, and had lead to John falling victim to a coup of some kind within the sheriff's department and his subsequent murder. Stiles didn't have all the details on his father's death, only what Derek had managed to find out from the papers and his own father, who was a lawyer.

Apparently there had been an inquiry about the accident, a lot of questions flying about wondering where Stiles had gone and if John had something to do with all of it, all coming from the mayor's offices. John obviously couldn't divulge any information on his son, simply saying that he didn't know where the boy had disappeared to and mounting a search party. As far as Stiles knew he was still a missing person according to the sheriff's department.

The mayor had always had it out for John, the sheriff was incredibly popular with the towns people, and even got commendations from other cities and towns if he happened to visit on business or even just passing through. Stiles had been enthralled by the numerous trophies and medals that decorated his father's office, each one sporting the name _John Stilinski_ in gold plate with years dating back to at least six years before Stiles was even born, before John had even become sheriff. The elder Stilinski had been encouraged to run for mayor, many of the deputies knowing he would do well in the position, John had never gone for it, much preferring a life of adventure and intrigue than one stuck behind a desk or camera all day.

The mayor, whom Stiles had never met or even learned the name of, according to Derek and his father, had filed multiple charges against John, claiming he knew where Stiles was and simply wasn't telling them the truth. Confusion and uncertainty and run amok for weeks as Stiles continued to be missing and there was suddenly mistrust in their sheriff. John had only been able to visit his son once after the death of his wife, hugging the boy tight and telling him he loved him. Looking back on it now, Stiles was fairly certain his father knew he was going to die soon.

The _accident_ that took John's life happened in their family home, the only home Stiles had ever known before the lake. According to Derek's father it was a burglary gone wrong, two armed men had entered the dark Stilinski house one night and apparently shot the sheriff out of self defense. Stiles didn't believe it was an accident for a second, there was just no way. His house had a really good alarm system that his father set every night that was directly connected to the sheriff's station. There was no possible way those men had known the code, no way John had forgotten to set it, and no way the new sheriff just happened to be a good friend of the mayor's since his college days.

Nothing about John's death made sense, at least not from what little information Stiles had been able to obtain. There was only bits and pieces of evidence when it should have been blatantly obvious, all laid out in black and white, the witness reports from the neighbors didn't match up at all, the number of casings at the scene weren't conducive to what the burglars said had happened, and John's service weapon had been found in his hand when the desk clerk at the station swore up and down he'd checked it in before the sheriff had left for the night. Stiles hated loose ends, and could not stand a liar, the fact the case had been closed and the men who had murdered his father in cold blood only charged for burglary just made the teen even more mad.

Stiles floated lazily just below the surface of the water, looking up at the trees and trying to process what he'd learned this afternoon, banishing the acrid thoughts of his father from his mind for now. Talia feared him for some reason, more than just him being an alpha, that couldn't be what had made her nearly hysterical last night. That was what was confusing the teen so much, he had never done anything to the woman, barely even spoken to her in the years he'd known her, what could be causing her such fear was a mystery that Stiles intended to solve if given half a chance.

Time passed slowly, the sun moving beyond the reach of his little clearing and leaving him in cool shade as the afternoon progressed. Stiles had his arms crossed over his chest, eyes half closed as he drifted just beneath the surface, flukes flicking lazily through the clear water as he made slow circuits. The fact that Derek had come to him the night before really wasn't that surprising given everything they'd been through together over the past few years.

The way Peter and Laura had responded to his commands had been a little shocking though, he'd only seen the oldest Hale child once when she'd come with to pick up Derek from school at some point. Peter had been around a few times, before and after his confinement to the lake, a man with invaluable information and a wit that made Stiles laugh even at the worst of times. Maria, Peter's pretty wife, deferred to him with ease and poise, the woman was a marvel in a house full of rambunctious children and volatile teenagers. Stiles smiled to himself, remembering the bright gold eyes watching him through the haze of smoke and fear that had been in the basement the night before, the little ones hadn't questioned his presence or been afraid of him.

The teen had just passed the soothing gurgle of the creek when a dark shadow fell on his face and something heavy dropped over him, knocking him out of the memory sharply. Stiles thrashed, claws slashing through thick rope as the heavy net was wrenched to the side. The mer crashed into a boulder, bubbles spiraling up from his mouth as his vision hazed for a moment before he got his bearings and struck out for the bottom of his lake. The merman yanked at the net, hissing as he tried to force whoever had him to release the lead ropes or hopefully get dragged in with him.

Stiles broke the surface with a shriek, sharp teeth bared in a vicious snarl as he caught sight of three dark clad men atop the nearest boulder. The teen thrashed again as he was yanked against the rock, the blow stunning him for a moment too long as the net was pulled free of the water and he was pinned against the boulder, chest heaving as he looked around.

“There you are sweety, I told you I'd get you.” Kate's sing song voice called out from another large rock on the far side of the creek, her pretty face twisted in a sneer as she took in Stiles' trapped form. “You're a tiny thing, aren't you?”

“Bite me!” The teen snapped, sawing at the ropes with his claws as he tried not to move his tail for fear of ripping his fins or flukes, he'd just managed to get them all healed a few short hours ago. The net pulled tighter, constricting his chest painfully, pinning his hands in place for a long moment before he twisted them loose and set to the thick braiding again.

“Now now darling, none of that. Be still and quiet and we won't bother your little wolf anymore.” The blonde smiled as Stiles fell still, her pale eyes bright with adrenaline and greed as she looked over the mer again. “Pretty scales.”

“Fuck you,” Stiles growled, holding his hands perfectly motionless even as his chest heaved, mind racing as he tried to figure out if she had one of the Hale's or was simply threatening to go after them again. There was no way of knowing either way, and he wasn't about to risk the werewolves just to save his own hide, it wasn't worth it.

“Tsk, what a dirty mouth you have little one. Didn't your mother ever teach you not to talk that way to a lady? Or did she not have enough time?” Kate's smirk was cruel, she knew who he was then, she'd somehow managed to figure it out in a few short hours, or maybe she'd already known when she showed up in the clearing earlier. Stiles didn't have time to ponder it either way, there were more pressing issues at hand, like the increased likelihood he was going to suffocate on this rock if the brutes behind him didn't ease the pressure soon.

“Maybe if I was talking to a lady I wouldn't use such language.” Stiles bit out, amber eyes scanning the clearing swiftly, noting that nothing seemed to be out of place. Other than the fact these four hunters had somehow managed to sneak up on him.

“Oh honey, I'm going to have fun with you. Get him out of here before the Hale kid comes back, we don't have enough firepower to take him down right now. I want this one alive while I dissect him.” Kate smiled sweetly as Stiles was drug over the rough surface of the rock, scales fluttering to the water as they were scraped off by the harsh treatment.

Stiles whimpered as his back hit the dirt hard, the wind knocked out of him again, what little had still remained, as the men yanked him across the forest floor. The teen clung to the ropes, gritting his teeth as branches and twigs gouged into his tail, ripping his fins to tatters and leaving him aching from pain. Stiles looked around frantically, trying to see where they were taking him, hoping for some chance at escape. The creek babbled cheerily three feet to his right, but Kate walked between him and the narrow strip of water that wasn't deep enough for him to swim in anyways.

A dark windowed SUV was parked on one of the service roads that crisscrossed the preserve in case of a fire, another dark uniformed man sitting in the drivers seat. Kate got into the passenger seat while Stiles was thrown unceremoniously into the back, his shoulder connecting with something sharp and cold. The smallest of his captors got in the back with him, crouching down between Stiles and the now closed hatch, his face mostly hidden behind a mask of some kind. The other two men climbed into the back seat, turning around to keep an eye on the mer as the driver threw the vehicle into gear and whipped around to head out of the forest.

Stiles stayed silent, watching the trees flash by as he tried to think, tried to focus. Even if he could shift, Stiles wasn't sure it would be any use, he'd have legs, but he'd also be a lot smaller, and since his fins were already torn to shreds he'd rather keep the powerful length of his tail as a weapon than risk getting his legs tangled in the net. The mer flicked his gaze over his visible captors, taking in their dark eyes and sinister expressions, obvious even through their masks, noting that they were all built similarly with broad shoulders and big, rough hands.

The SUV bumped over a curb and the soft hush of tires on pavement echoed around them. Stiles flinched as they left the last trees of the preserve behind, his throat clicking dryly as he realized no one was coming for him. Derek wouldn't be able to track him, even if he could follow Stiles' scent to where the vehicle had been parked, there was no way he'd be able to trace it past that. Stiles hoped that maybe Talia had intercepted Derek, kept him from going back out to the lake, at least then Derek would be safe for another day.

The scenery outside the windows changed quickly, and soon stylish houses were passing on either side, big and impressive, many with high gates and an air of superiority that matched what Stiles knew about the Argent family perfectly. They turned suddenly, a thick, solid looking gate closing rapidly as soon as the vehicle cleared it, a clang reverberating through Stiles with finality, causing him to shiver despite the almost cloying heat here in the trunk space.

The mer looked up at the man crouched before him, watching his every move as the hatch was opened behind him and he dropped down to the ground with ease. Two more men, neither of them wearing masks, but their features so nondescript that Stiles wasn't sure he'd recognize them if he saw them again, grabbed a hold of the lead ropes and jerked Stiles out to the concrete floor violently, his tail smacking the bumper on the way down and his already hurting shoulder protesting the treatment loudly.

“Watch it!” Stiles snapped, bearing his teeth in another feral expression as Kate came around the back of the SUV to watch as the mer was drug through the garage, past a number of locked weapons cases and two more sleek black SUV's, then down a flight of metal stairs.

“Oh sweetheart, we are. Lock him down, I'll be right back.” Kate turned at the top of the stairs and headed up into the house proper, barely sparing the mer a glance before he was heaved around a corner once his tail had hit concrete again and in to near darkness.

Stiles' eyes adjusted quickly to the dimness, really wishing they hadn't a moment later as he took in the metal trough in the middle of the room and the racks of weaponry along the walls. The teen was deposited none to gently in the trough, net and all, icy water sloshing over the side and wetting the concrete floor before spiraling down a drain conveniently located only a few feet away. Stiles shivered, his body not used to the close to freezing temperature and not having nearly enough fat built up to protect him from it.

Stiles tried to pull his upper body out of the water, his tail better insulated than his torso, but his numb fingers kept slipping on the metal siding. A big hand shoved at the top of his head, submerging him completely in the faintly chemical tasting water. Stiles gagged as his gills fluttered automatically, trying to filter the water through his system even as he tried desperately not to breathe at all. The teen broke the surface, gasping and choking, teeth chattering and the skin on his hands already starting to tinge blue.

“My, my. What a wonderful find Kate. We've never managed to catch one alive before. I don't think it likes its new home.” An older man had come down the stairs, Kate right behind him, both smiling in such a way that Stiles had no doubt about their relation.

“Isn't he pretty daddy? All by himself too, we'll be doing him a favor.” Kate smiled sweetly as she stepped up to the edge of the trough, fingers grabbing the net and yanking Stiles up to look in his face properly.

“Fuck. Off.” Stiles bit out, snapping his teeth at her face and trying to claw her skin off the best he could through the tangle of ropes, missing by mere inches.

“Oh my, that won't do. Marcus, get one of the gags, won't you?” The old man stepped closer as well, smiling benignly down at Stiles like a loving grandfather. The teen shivered at the look, nose wrinkling as the ropes around his face were cut away none to gently, little nicks littering his face and jawline before a ball gag was forced between his chattering teeth.

“Much better, although I do so love to hear them scream. And he's got such a pretty voice.” Kate dropped Stiles back down to the water, stepping back so she didn't get splashed as the mer thrashed when the horrid liquid closed over his head again.

“You're sure he can't shift?”

“Pretty sure, we'll keep the doors locked just to be on the safe side, but we shouldn't need to keep him tied up.” Kate responded easily, peering down into the trough with a grin as Stiles tried to untangle himself enough to get his head above water again.

“Alright, don't spend too long down here tonight dear, and don't do too much damage, the chemicals in there should slow his healing down to human levels.” The old man turned then, going back up the stairs without another word, the rest of the men following behind him silently.

“Just you and me now sweety, doesn't that sound fun? I'm going to see what makes you tick.” Kate turned to a medical tray Stiles hadn't noticed earlier, perusing the instruments with the air of someone having way too much fun.

Stiles finally managed to wrap his hands around the edge of his cage and pulled until his head and chest were clear of the water. The bottom of the trough was slick, his scales sliding over it and giving the merman no traction to stay upright without holding on. The teen looked around quickly, realizing it was just Kate down here with him before clawing at the straps of the gag, wrenching it from his mouth and tossing it across the room savagely.

“That wasn't very nice, but I do so want to hear you scream. I couldn't stay around after I set the fire last night, had to go flirt with the firefighters so they wouldn't come to the rescue, so I didn't get to hear the Hale's. You naughty boy, messing up all my hard work and saving those flea bitten mutts.” Kate sighed as she chose a simple scalpel, turning back to Stiles as she flicked on an overhead light, bathing the room in harsh white.

Stiles squinted, the light too bright for his night adjusted eyes, teeth grit to keep them from chattering together anymore as Kate stepped closer. Her eyes were blue and she'd pulled her wavy blonde hair up into a ponytail, a few strands framing her face, Stiles noted distantly that if she wasn't a sadistic murder, she would have been pretty. The mer held perfectly still, knowing there was no where to go, at least not until he could get rid of the net, and watched her closely as she stopped near his head.

Slim fingers dipped into the water near his waist, where his scales started in earnest, and swiped over him in a way that was nauseatingly intimate. Stiles twitched at the touch, trying to shy away instinctively, but Kate just laughed, lowered her hand even farther into the water and pressed down hard right between his hips. The teen cursed, lashing out with his nearest hand, being hindered by the ropes still confining his shoulders and causing him to slip farther down in the horrid water, sputtering and choking.

“Oh sweety, aren't you cute? Am I being too rough with you? Do you like a softer touch?” Kate's voice was saccharine, her lips tipped up in another sick smile as she pushed down harder, nails digging into the scales roughly, gouging at the delicate flesh underneath and pressing against the thick muscles that made up the merman's tail.

“Don't touch me.” Stiles hissed, tail twisting to get her hand away from a place, that if he'd had his legs, would be disgusting and so highly inappropriate he wanted to throw up just thinking about it. This woman was even more of a monster than the merman had originally given her credit for, pedophile was now climbing up to the top right under murderer and before arsonist.

“But its so fun. You're just a baby aren't you? We don't know much about mer's, they aren't a talkative bunch, but you seem awfully small for how old you're supposed to be.” Kate's expression was inhumane as she slashed downward with the scalpel unexpectedly, cutting a line across Stiles' left cheek that luckily barely broke the skin.

The mer kept his mouth shut as blood dripped from the wound, amber eyes narrowed as he watched the woman. Kate continued to almost play with him for long minutes, cutting little marks into his chest and arms before tiring of the delicate tool and turning away to pick another. Stiles' chest heaved, eyes narrowed as the cuts stung and throbbed painfully, the offensive water making them ache even more than they should have. The spot between his hips pulsed in time with his heartbeat, speaking of deep bruising and possible tears in his muscles or tendons.

Kate turned back to him, this time with a slim dagger, and proceeded to dig little gouges out of his stomach and chest. Stiles kept his teeth locked together, refusing to make a sound as the woman cut into him again and again, watching her with barely open eyes as she finally seemed to grow bored. Kate moved away once more, standing up straight and admiring her handiwork for several long minutes, empty hand propped on her hip and right one twirling the dagger between her fingers.

“You're no fun at all little one. I've heard such lovely things about a mermaid's voice, I'm sure its just as true for the mermen, won't you sing for me?” Kate tossed the dagger aside before striking like a snake, right hand grabbing the ropes over his chest while the left plunged into the water and shoved between his hips again, finding the already forming bruises with ease.

Stiles thrashed, the pressure uncomfortable and the placement nauseating as he tried to squirm away, hissing lowly as her hand slid further down his tail, nails dragging, sharp and insistent, sliding between his scales in some places to nick at the flesh beneath. Kate pulled her hand back, a stinging pain following the movement as she held a deep blue scale aloft, turning to look at it in the light properly.

“Such a pretty color, oh, and silver on the underside. Very nice little one, I'm sure all the little mer-girls were jealous. Oh wait, you've never met any, have you?”

Stiles refrained from replying to the rhetorical question, blinking back tears as a spot halfway down his tail throbbed mightily from where the scale had been. Kate released him completely, tucking the scale into a pocket, Stiles hoped she cut herself on it later, the edges were knife sharp along the underside. The teen watched as Kate walked toward the far end of the trough, reaching in with both hands to yank up his tail. Stiles clung to the edges, trying not to get pulled under as she heaved his tail higher, examining the almost sky blue scales around his flukes.

“Well, that's an even prettier color isn't it?” Kate hummed, jerking one of the smaller scales free from just above his fluke, causing Stiles to rear back as pain lanced upwards in a fiery rush. “Oh, more sensitive there, are you? I wonder.” The woman trailed off, head tilted to the side curiously before she twisted Stiles to the side with more force than he'd thought her slim build capable of.

The teen floundered, head going under and hands slipping off the edges of his prison. Stiles' brow bounced off the bottom of the trough, and he realized with mounting horror that he was now face down in the water. The mer thrashed, grasping onto the sides again and hefting himself upward, trying to turn back around.

Those vicious hands were back, shoving his tail down as water sloshed to the floor, one set of long fingers trailing almost gently over the fin that ran down the center of his tail before pain bloomed fierce and bright. Stiles screamed, back bowing as he tried to get away, but there was no where to go as Kate dug at the tender space just below his fin, nails biting in until she could pry up another sky blue scale.

Stiles' voice echoed around the concrete room, bouncing back at him mockingly as Kate dug at the tender space below his fin again and again. The teen tried to get away, twisting and pulling at the edges of the trough, mind shrieking in protest at where her hands were. Stiles was suddenly grateful he wasn't physically mature yet, thanking his lucky stars that the area the hunter was gouging into wasn't actually accessible, even if it did hurt like fire and glass being shoved under his skin.

The spot just below a merman's back fin was were, once they'd reached their majority, the scales turned pearly white and protected their genitalia, also announcing to the tribe that they were old enough to travel or take a mate if they wished. Now, having a thirteen year old body was a blessing, the pouch was still below his scales, tucked under thick muscle and guarded completely from outside interference.

Stiles bit through his lower lip as Kate ripped away yet another pale scale, her nails digging into the delicate flesh being exposed. The teen whimpered brokenly, tears sliding down his face to mix with the foul water dripping from his hair as he tried to squirm away weakly. Kate yanked up another scale before seeming to tire of having to fight him into stillness, stepping away and watching with cruel eyes as Stiles struggled to turn over, chest constricting painful as his tail sank into the water.

“Well, now that was fun. And you sing so sweetly little one. I'll let you rest for now, but I'll see you in the morning sweet thing.” Kate's sing song voice didn't match her vicious expression or the threatening words she was saying in the least.

Stiles kept his mouth shut, watching with hooded eyes as the hunter went up the stairs and closed the door, the sound of the lock snapping home reverberating down to his core. The teen slowly dipped his left hand into the water, curling his tail as much as the limited space would allow him and running the pads of his fingers over the tender, exposed flesh beneath his fin. Stiles whimpered, pulling his fingers away and watching as blood swirled in the chemically treated water, trying not to cry anymore at the bone deep pain consuming him.

The mer drew in a few deep breaths before beginning to shred the net in earnest, intent on not being confined when the hunters came back to torture him some more. Stiles made short work of the ropes, anger and humiliation lending him strength as he tossed the frazzled remains of the net around the room, making sure to knock over the tray of medical instruments. Finally Stiles lay against the back of the trough, chest hitching painfully with each breath as he looked down the length of his tail, fighting the suddenly overwhelming urge to shift that was flooding his system.

Stiles had no doubts that if he'd had his legs, and the parts of his anatomy that lay between them, the torture he'd just received would have been much worse. The teen tried to find a comfortable position in the trough, keeping his tail twisted to the side so his worst injury wasn't being pressed into the unforgiving metal, hands and shoulders slipping again and again until he managed to get his hands dry enough to lock around the sides. Stiles peered around the room, noting the lack of windows or any other doors, just the one he'd been brought through. The brunette sighed gustily, biting at his bottom lip and feeling desperately glad that Derek would be alright for another night.

~?!?~

Derek paced up and down the length of the bank, he'd shouted for Stiles over a dozen times in the last thirty minutes he'd been here, but there was no sign of the merman and Derek was getting worried. The beta stripped off his stiff jeans and t-shirt, tossing them beside the two bags of food he'd brought and his shoes before making his way into the water. Stiles wouldn't hide from him now, not after their conversation earlier, something had to be wrong for the other teen to have not come up yet.

Derek dove down as soon as the water was deep enough, looking around his murky surroundings in surprise. The lake had roughly a quarter mile circumference, but it was much deeper, so deep in fact, that he couldn't see the bottom even with his advanced sight. The sun was almost completely beyond sight now, evening descending over the preserve rapidly, but even though the beta had very good night vision, it wasn't much help at the moment. Derek went to the surface, breathing quick and deep before forcing as much air out of his lungs as he could and then diving again.

The beta swam down, kicking hard until his outstretched fingers hit smooth stone and silt, eyes squinted as he tried to see in the near pitch black water. Derek caught a bright reflection out of the corner of his left eye, turning to it and swimming hard for the glimmer. The teen nearly hit his head against a low overhang, hands sweeping through some soft underwater plant and dipping into a pair of indents in what felt like mud before wrapping his fingers around something with five points, quickly dropping it back down and going for the surface to breathe.

He'd been the one to steal the sheriff's badge for Stiles nearly three years previous, he knew what it felt like in his hand. The little space at the bottom of the lake was more than likely where Stiles slept, next to the only piece of his family he had left besides the blood in his veins. Derek shoved thick black hair out of his eyes, scanning the lake and clearing again, heart beating too fast against his ribs and chest aching from more than lack of oxygen. It was still and quiet except for his harsh breathing, not even any crickets chirping and Derek cursed tiredly as he spun in a circle hoping desperately that Stiles would pop up and laugh at his antics.

The merman didn't show, but there was another faint glimmer on the water, near the little creek that fed into Stiles' lake. Derek struck out for it, carefully cupping a palm beneath the opalescent half-oval when he got to it and lifting it up to see more clearly in the descending darkness. It was one of Stiles' scales, rich blue on one side and bright silver on the other, reflecting the meager light easily. Derek looked around again, knowing that Stiles didn't lose scales without some force involved, the brunette had explained it to him once, but Derek hadn't been paying as much attention as he should have been.

The beta spied a damp spot high up on the nearest boulder, a part of the rock that never got wet unless it rained or Stiles climbed up there to get some sun which the mer wouldn't have done today, not after Kate showed up here only a few hours previously. Derek quickly climbed out of the lake, slipping and getting more than a little mud in his mouth before he managed to get to the top of the large stone. The beta spat a couple times, trying to get the gritty substance back out before he could focus on what he was seeing.

The top and back half of the boulder were wet, not excessively so, but enough to have caught his attention, and there was a wide path of disturbed leaves leading out of the clearing and into the forest. Derek followed the trail, nostrils flared and eyes bright blue in the darkness as he traipsed through thick undergrowth and fallen branches, stopping suddenly as he caught a scent he'd only ever smelled once before, last night.

Stiles' blood, mostly dried but still distinctly his, was smeared over leaves and branches near the middle of what Derek now recognized as drag marks. The beta stilled when he got to an old service road, looking down at the fresh tire marks with mounting fear. Derek turned on his heels and ran full tilt back to Stiles' clearing, scrambling through the trees in bare feet and just his boxers, practically throwing himself on his clothes when he got back to the log.

The teen yanked on his pants and jerked his shirt over his head, barely wasting time with putting his socks in a pocket and shoving his wet, dirty feet in his sneakers before he was grabbing up the bags of food and moving toward his car. Derek dialed a number he'd just programmed in his phone earlier that morning, pressing the slim device to his ear as he navigated the dark forest as quickly as he could, eyes still blue when he caught his reflection in the dark screen.

“ _Derek?”_ Deaton's voice was low and calm, and did absolutely nothing to ease Derek's anxiety.

“Stiles is missing. Some one took him while I was out getting him food.” Derek's tone was clipped as he leaped over a fallen branch and tried not to trip over his own feet in the deepening shadows.

“ _Come to the clinic, I'll see what I can do.”_

“I'll be there soon.” Derek hung up, tucking his phone away and daring to pick up the pace now that he wasn't trying to concentrate on anything else. The beta almost ran into Laura's Camaro when he finally broke the treeline at the edge of the preserve, the older girl allowing him to borrow the sleek vehicle because she'd spent all day at the hotel with their younger sister and cousins.

Derek slid into the driver seat, ignoring the way he stuck to the black leather in his damp clothes, and placed the two bags of food on the passenger seat, hoping Laura would forgive him this once for having greasy food in her precious car. The beta started the car, throwing it in gear a moment later and driving faster than was legally allowed, but not caring even a little as he revved the engine higher and shifted gears again. Derek would stop off at the hotel, it was on the way to Deaton's and give Laura the two orders of curly fries and two slices of apple pie he'd picked up for Stiles, letting her know in the process that he was going to be out for the night.

The beta shifted again, going way too fast around a corner and had to cut back a little as he finally found some traffic as he reached the outskirts of town. Derek growled, trying to reign in his temper and his shift as he piloted the muscle car around slower vehicles and screeched into a spot in front of the group of rooms his family was renting. The dark haired teen stumbled out of the car, doubling back to grab the two bags of food before he jogged up to the middle door.

“Derek? What's wrong? Your heart is racing.” Laura pulled the door open, stepping back as Derek almost shoved her out of the way in his haste.

“Stiles was taken.” The hazel eyed boy bit out, tossing the bags on their cluttered little table and rounding on his sister with a barely controlled snarl.

“What? When?” Laura held her hands up, her dark blue eyes wide as she moved clear of the bigger male as Derek went right for the door once more.

“While I was out getting him something to eat. I think it was Kate, I recognized her perfume. I have to go, I'll bring the car back as soon as I can.” Derek had almost made it out the door when their mother stepped into the opening, eyes narrowed as she took in Derek's disheveled appearance and wet clothes, his dark hair still dripping in his eyes.

“And where do you think you're going?” Talia demanded, arms crossed over her chest and expression tight.

“Out,” the beta growled, shoulders rolling back and chin coming up as he stared the alpha down. “Move.”

“Derek!” Talia snapped, her eyes flaring red to match his blue gaze. “Watch your tone young man. You aren't going anywhere.”

“I am, and you will move or I will move you. Stiles was taken and its your damn fault, now get out of my way!” Derek's voice rose on a shout, claws digging into his palms as his fangs forced his lips to stay parted.

“You were not to go see that little snake again, Derek. I forbade you from doing it!”

“You can't stop me, I still have a few more years until you can, and I plan to take care of my friend until you completely ruin my life. Get out of my way! The Argent's took him, they could be doing god knows what to him and I won't allow it!” Derek's voice was more growl than words at this point, his whole body shaking in fear and anger as he stared down his mother and alpha.

“You will not go near that creature, I won't allow you Derek, you will not put this family in danger for that monster.” Talia's tone was guttural and low, her own fangs dropping as she moved to completely block the doorway.

“I will! He's my friend and he needs me!”

“You. Will. Not.” Talia's voice reverberated through the hotel, the younger children in the next room crying out in abject terror as their alpha's will dropped on all of them like a hammer.

“I will.” Derek snarled as blood dripped from his nose and his claws dug furrows into his palms, drops of red pattering to the floor in the sudden silence.

“That's enough Talia. Back down before he challenges you.” Peter came into the room through the connecting door, cradling a whimpering toddler against his chest.

“This is ludicrous! Derek you will obey me, that boy is not your friend, he is a monster waiting to strike.”

“He's a sixteen year old merman that's been an orphan for three years, living in a lake by himself and slowly starving because you didn't do your damn job!” Derek shouted back, furious beyond reason as he stared the woman down. “He was just a child, hell he still is, and you left him out there alone and afraid, tell me why. Tell me what are you so afraid of?”

“He is not.” Talia's voice was low, her eyes widening ever so slightly before she squared her shoulders and shook her head. “I am not afraid of him, simply defending my pack and family from someone who would try and take them.”

“He can't take the damn pack, mother! He may be an alpha but he can't be an alpha to werewolves, it doesn't work that way! He's just a kid, and he needs me right now, I can't leave him to those monsters, I won't. If you try and make me stay I will fight you, and you'll have to kill me to stop me.” Derek stood up straight, blood staining his upper lip and chin, eyes still vibrant blue even as the red faded from his mothers.

“You would dare? For that little-.”

“He's my best friend! He was there for me when I didn't have an anchor, he showed me how to gain control again, and Stiles has never asked for a damn thing from me in the entire time I've known him. He's just a kid, I don't know why you hate him, I don't know what he did to you or what you're afraid of, but he's my friend and I'm all he has. I'm not going to sit here while the Argent's do horrible things to him just because you can't stop being a bitch for five minutes and actually look around you. You have your family because of him! You have your life right now because of him.” Derek's chest ached, his shoulders heaving as he finally had to stop shouting and remember how to breathe.

Talia looked like she'd been slapped, eyes wide and lips parted as she looked around the hotel room, something dawning on her face that Derek couldn't name. “Go, and when he gets you killed or kills you himself I will have all the reason I need to rip him apart.”

“Where do you need me to drive you Derek?” Peter's voice was low as he handed the toddler through the open connecting door to Maria and stepped into his shoes that she'd brought over.

“Deaton's, he said he'd help.” The dark haired teen's chest was still heaving, whole body trembling as he looked at his mother for what felt like the first time, or maybe the last. Peter lead him past their alpha's stiff form and out to his car, both of them keeping their heads down as they edged around her.

“Breathe Derek. You need to calm down or you'll be no use to Stiles when we get to him. Are we going to Deaton's home or the clinic?”

“He said the clinic. Oh god Peter, they've probably had Stiles for hours.” Derek hiccuped, tears pricking his eyes as he tried to get in a deep breath, getting into the passenger seat just before his knees gave out completely.

“I know you're scared for him Derek, you have every reason to be, but you need to get it under control. Stiles needs you at your best, can you do that for him?” Peter navigated through the dark streets, movements stiff and a little too fast as he slipped around other cars and gunned it through an almost red light.

“Yeah, I can, I have to. Fuck, this wasn't supposed to happen, they weren't supposed to move so fast.” Derek leaned back in his seat, clinging to the door handle and closing his eyes tightly to block out the street lights. “Deaton and I were going to help him figure out how to shift if he still can.”

“He's not dead yet Derek, you still have time to teach him that.” Peter intoned gently, eyes gold in the intermittent light as he glanced over at Derek briefly.

“How do you know?” The younger beta whispered, a single tear sliding down his cheek and dripping down onto his already wet shirt, mixing with the water and blood staining the cotton.

“Because if they were going to kill him, they would have done it at the lake. They wouldn't have gone through the trouble of transporting him, probably setting up a special place to hold him. We still have time.” Peter's voice was low and calculated as he swung into the empty parking lot of the animal clinic, turning off the car and grabbing Derek before the younger Hale could get out. “No matter what we see when we find him, I need you to be strong Derek.”

“I, what?” Derek frowned, mind trying to focus on what Peter was saying even as it raced ahead in terror at what those words invoked.

“They may have hurt him badly, physically or mentally, maybe both, I need you to be prepared for the worst. Stiles may not recognize you, may not know who you are, or trust you, or want you to touch him, can you handle that?” Peter's blue eyes bore into Derek's hazel, holding the teen's gaze until he nodded slowly. “Good, lets go.”

Derek half fell out of the car when he opened the door, his legs were shaking and he still had blood dripping from his nose a little, the wounds on his hands had healed for the most part. The teen stumbled around the car, following Peter's lithe form around the side of the low building and through a propped open door. Derek looked around curiously as he trailed behind his uncle, peering in at the kennels before turning into a well lit office. Deaton was leaning over his desk, a pair of glasses perched at the end of his nose as he flipped through an old book. The musty smell of dust and old leather assaulted the teen's nose, causing him to sneeze, looking up at the two older men with wide eyes.

“Sorry,” Derek mumbled, shuffling his feet and staying near the door, suddenly feeling young and clumsy. What if he couldn't help Stiles? What if the Argent's had hurt him so bad he didn't even know who Derek was anymore? The tumble of thoughts stilled as a warm palm cupped over his shoulder and he looked up into calm brown eyes.

“Its quiet alright Derek. Peter, good to see you again, will you be accompanying us?” Deaton turned away from the teen, focusing on the older beta while Derek collected himself.

“Yes, Talia didn't get a chance to tell me not to, so I'll be with you. Do we have a plan?” Peter frowned down at the book, blue eyes narrowed at the thin lines of script.

“Yes and no. We can assume the Argent's took him, yes?” Deaton looked over at Derek with a raised brow.

“Yeah, I smelled Kate's perfume.” The teen nodded firmly, hands shoved deep in his pockets and shoulders tensing slightly.

“Very good, they will have taken him back to their home, its practically a fortress in the suburbs. The real trick shall be getting in and getting back out with Stiles. Since we have you here Peter, that will certainly help, it will take two of us to get Stiles out. I can provide distraction, but you two will be on your own to get him.” Deaton pulled out a blank sheet of paper and began writing a few things down, too quick for even Derek to follow.

“Do you have an idea of where they'll have him?” Peter inquired, leaning against the desk with his hands curled around the nearest edge, looking surprisingly at ease as they planned a break in and a rescue. Not for the first time Derek wondered about his uncle's past, but with the intense look on the older man's face, maybe he really didn't want to know after all.

“Not precisely. I can guess that they will have put him in the basement, in theory it would be the best possible location. But I am uncertain about how to get to it, I don't know the internal layout of the house, just its location.” Deaton tucked the piece of paper into a pocket of his jacket and went to pull a few glass jars off a shelf behind his desk. “I don't believe they know who and what I am, that will buy you some time, but not much. You'll more than likely need to use your senses to locate Stiles. Derek, you're familiar with his heartbeat?”

“Yeah, I have it memorized.” Derek agreed, arms coming up to cross over his chest tightly, feeling anxious and more than a little terrified. “You guys are sure about this? We don't have anyone else that could help us?”

“If we wish to get Stiles out tonight, then it will just be us. If you would like to have me call in the other alpha's we run the risk of losing a lot of time. The Argent's can do a lot of damage in a very limited window.”

“No, we go now. They've already had him for hours I think.” The teen shook his head, jaw clenched and eyes narrowed, teeth feeling a little too sharp in his mouth.

“Very well. Peter, here is the address, I would recommend parking on the street behind and maybe coming over the back wall. Wait for my signal, you'll know it when you see it. Stay low and quiet, we won't get a second chance, if we mess this up they may kill Stiles out of spite.” Deaton zipped up his jacket, looking between the two beta's with a stern expression.

“Alright, lets go.” Derek said, turning and quickly making his way back out of the clinic and to Peter's car, not wanting to waste anymore time standing around. The cool breeze helped clear his head a little, but the heavy scent of lake water clinging to his skin and clothes reminded him too much of Stiles for comfort right now.

The older man slid into the drivers seat a moment later, looking at Derek before starting the car and pulling out of the spot. Derek had his hands clenched in his lap, eyes scanning the houses and shops as they drove past, lips pressed into a thin line. Peter kept his silence until they came to the neighborhood the Argent's house was located in, pulling over on the next block and peering around in the darkness.

“We'll need to go in shifted, our senses are more advanced like that and we can't afford to run into any of Argent's people. This is going to be dangerous, you understand that, right?”

“Yeah, I know. But Stiles did the same for us, I can't leave him in there, I don't care how many hunters are in the way, I'm going in.” The teen turned to look at the other beta, both of them wearing nearly identical expressions of fierce determination.

“Alright, lets go.” Peter got out first, leading the way around the massive house they'd parked near and carefully slipping through the thin gap between two estates. Derek followed closely, eyes gleaming blue in the moonlight as they came to the back wall of the Argent property. Peter crouched low, cupping his hands together and lifting Derek up swiftly, the teen scrambling over the top of the stone wall and dropping to the grass on the far side in silence.

“Peter?” Derek mumbled, gazing around the yard intently until the older man dropped down beside him. “I sense five, maybe six people inside, four on the grounds. I can't hear Stiles yet.”

“Alright, we'll move in closer, stay low.” Peter lead the way to the left, staying close to the wall and as low to the ground as they could manage. They'd barely made it halfway around the backyard when Derek tugged at the older beta's shirt tails.

“Wait. That's Stiles' heartbeat, but its off. He's got a slight uptick every third beat, and its usually a little faster than the average, but it doesn't sound right.” Derek frowned, head tilted as he listened intently. He'd memorized Stiles' heartbeat long ago, learning a lot about the younger teen just from the cadence of his heart.

“He could be drugged or in a lot of pain, but as long as you're sure its him, we'll keep moving.” Peter peered around to the side yard, finally catching sight of one of the guards on patrol. “I see one guy over here, lets wait for Deaton's signal, see if he won't get out of our way.”

Both beta's crouched in the meticulously maintained foliage, watching as the dark clothed figure paced up and down the side yard. Derek's throat and chest ached, hands shaking minutely as they waited for Deaton to provide a distraction, Stiles' heartbeat like a siren's call in his head. The merman's rhythms were all off, his heart beating too fast then slowing way down, slower than what was normal for the younger boy. Peter curled a hand around the back of Derek's neck, squeezing gently until they both lurched to their feet as a truly spectacular fireball lit up the front of the house.

The guard had already disappeared from sight and the two beta's made quick work, running along the side of the house until they reached a door. Peter crouched down once more, pulling a little leather pouch out of a pocket and setting to work on the lock. Derek kept watch, peering around toward the front of the house and seeing a thick column of smoke as well as a geyser of water. Deaton had some how managed to explode a fire hydrant and set something on fire, Derek wasn't sure he wanted to know how.

“Come on,” Peter hissed, easing the door open and practically dragging the teen into the darkened garage. “There was probably a sensor on that door, we need to hurry.”

Derek didn't bother voicing a response, simply ducked around a dark SUV and followed his senses to another locked door, this one was locked from the outside, two heavy deadbolts meant to keep something in rather than people out. Derek quickly flipped the latches and headed down the stairs that were revealed, Peter right behind him. The dark haired teen halted as soon as he turned a short corner, eyes wide as he took in the scene before him.

“Derek? Peter? What are you-? Never mind, get me out of here.” Stiles reached up a hand, slipping farther down into the truly foul smelling water. The merman was in a trough, a huge metal one that was still barely large enough to contain the other teen, the water was swirled with blood and viscera.

“God Stiles, what did they do to you?” Derek whispered, rushing forward and taking the other teen's hand briefly, squeezing the slender digits gently before looking around. “How do you want to do this Peter?”

“Can you carry him on your own?” The older man inquired, keeping close to the door and listening intently for anyone coming.

“Yeah, come on Stiles, lets get you out of here.” Derek reached into the trough, trying not to think about what was in the water or what had been done to his friend. Stiles' torso was covered in cuts and divots of his flesh were missing, blood still leaking from most of the wounds as the beta got his arms around the merman's waist and heaved him upward.

“Easy, she ripped out a lot of my scales and-. Just be careful where you put your hands, okay?” Stiles ducked his head, refusing to meet the other boys eyes as Derek got a better grip and hauled the brunette up over his shoulder.

“Just hang on,” Derek murmured, keeping one arm locked around a too thin waist and curving the other near the base of Stiles' tail to keep the appendage out of the way.

“Come on you two, move it.” Peter whispered, eyes bright gold in the dim light as he eased the door at the top of the stairs open again and stepped back into the garage. “Derek, go straight for the door, no one is near it yet.”

The teen didn't hesitate, taking quick steps around the vehicles and waiting for Peter to open the door once more, Stiles' slender arms looped around Derek's waist and his forehead pressed low against the beta's spine. The merman's breathing kept hitching, and little shudders racked his body all the way down to his flukes, skin icy to the touch and heartbeat still all wrong to Derek's ears. Peter opened the door to the side yard, going out first and making sure the coast was clear before beckoning Derek forward.

“All the way to the wall, stay as low as you can, go!” Peter barked, pushing at Derek's free shoulder to get the teen to move faster over the dark grass.

Stiles whimpered lowly as he was jostled, hands spasming against Derek's waist and the muscles in his tail seizing up. Derek quickly slipped between the carefully maintained trees and the back wall, making sure not to scrape Stiles against the smooth rock or bump either of them into a tree.

“Wait, stop please.” Stiles whispered, voice high and tight, hands sliding to Derek's back and clutching at the stiff fabric before pushing insistently, trying to lever himself upward.

“Stiles we have to get over the wall, calm down.” Derek hissed back, stopping anyways and glancing back at Peter in uncertainty.

“I'm drying out, really fast.” Stiles whimpered, rearing up and pressing his back against the wall as Derek kept supporting the weight of his tail. “Whatever was in that water-. Fuck!” Stiles' hands ran over the top of his tail near his waist, scales flaking off at the delicate touch.

“We have to go,” Peter didn't wait for acknowledgment from either of the teens, simply hoisted himself up to the top of the wall and reached down for Stiles. The older man heaved, pulling the mer up to the top, scales falling like snow on Derek, and then quickly lowering him down to the other side. There was a soft thump and a curse as the brunette hit the ground on the far side before Peter was reaching down and hauling Derek up and over as well. “Get him and move!”

There was a shout from somewhere in the house as both beta's hit the ground, Derek quickly scooping Stiles back up as Peter went first toward the car. Stiles whimpered as he was hooked over Derek's shoulder again, the beta apologizing breathlessly as more scales littered the ground and stuck to his clothes. The mer clung tight to the back of Derek's shirt, breath wheezing and teeth grit as they slipped down the narrow walkway and out onto the brightly lit sidewalk. Derek quickly crawled into the back seat with Stiles, making sure the other teen was all in before yanking the door closed and hanging on tightly as Peter started driving immediately.

“Deaton will meet us back at the clinic, he left the back door unlocked for us. Stiles, are you alright?” Peter's voice was even and controlled as he navigated the dark neighborhoods and side streets on the way back to the vets office.

“Hurts,” the brunette hissed in response, hands clenched tight in the front of Derek's shirt as his tail curled and uncurled across the beta's lap in movements that clearly weren't intentional. His muscles kept seizing, Derek could see the fine tremors racing over the younger boys body as he curled forward slightly.

“Where? What hurts? Cause you're covered in wounds. What do you need me to do?” Derek's heart was racing as he gently ran his hands over Stiles' shoulders and carefully cupped the back of his neck, the only areas that weren't covered in injuries, and looking into narrowed amber eyes.

Stiles shook his head then went still, gaze going distant as his tail hooked over the beta's legs and drug Derek across the bench seat and flush against his side. The merman's head thudded back against the window a moment later, a high whine emitting from his throat as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

“Stiles? Stiles, what's wrong?” Derek cried out frantically, hands cupping the other teen's face and pressing closer, trying to see what was causing the merman such discomfort but only seeing the numerous gashes and divots, that though were certainly painful, couldn't be causing this level of distress.

“Shift.” Stiles' voice was high and strained, the tendons in his neck standing out and his teeth grit, lips pulled back in a grimace to expose the sharp points.

“Shift what? Do you want me to move over?” Derek frowned at the other boy, looking down at the heavily muscled appendage that had pulled him across the back seat with ease and had yet to relax.

“I think he means he's shifting,” Peter said tightly, easing around a corner and maintaining the proper speed limit, eyes darting about just in case they had been followed.

“What? Now? I mean, I think it's okay if you do. Right uncle Peter?” Derek looked over at the older beta in question before gasping as long, webbed fingers grasped his arms and yanked him down until he was almost on top of the other teen. “Wha-?”

“Can't shift now.” Stiles bit out, amber eyes almost luminous in the intermittent light from the street lamps.

“Why not?” Derek demanded, frowning down at the merman in confusion. “You're safe now. Whatever was in that water is drying you out and making it so you can't heal, wouldn't it help to shift? At least until we can get you cleaned up and in some uncontaminated water?”

“Derek makes a good point Stiles, it may be safer for you to shift now until we can get all that gunk off you. There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Derek take off your shirt so the boy can cover up.” Derek didn't hesitate, simply pulled back and yanked the slightly damp cotton over his head, placing it across Stiles' lap a moment later.

“Dammit,” Stiles hissed, head hitting the window again before he curled forward over himself, hands locking around Derek's arms once more as the shift seemed to roared through him, taking him from merman to human for the first time in years.

Stiles whimpered, flukes slapping the tan leather of the seat beside Derek before scales began melting into pale, mole speckled skin. The shift was slow, bones sliding and grinding as they moved to accommodate a pair of slender legs instead of a muscular tail. Stiles bit at his lower lip with flat, human teeth, ears soft and round now, and the webbing between his fingers fading away to be replaced by smooth skin.

Derek held the other boy gently, scooting closer until he could pull Stiles into his lap properly and wrap the trembling body tight in his arms. The merman collapsed against Derek's chest, panting and shivering, long fingers clutching at the beta's shoulders as he drew his knees up towards his chest. Stiles was tiny like this, too skinny and too small for his age, arms and legs painfully thin as the bones of his torso dug into the muscles of Derek's.

“Shh, you're okay now, just calm down, I got you.” The beta held Stiles close, pressing his nose into already dry hair and nuzzling behind the smaller boys ear as the mer whimpered quietly.

“Hurts. God it hurts.” Stiles whispered, holding tight to the beta as he shivered, hips shifting unconsciously and toes curling and flexing with each shuddering breath.

“Stiles, what hurts?” Derek murmured, pulling back just far enough to see into the merman's face.

“Derek, his back. Dear god what did they do to you?” Peter's voice was low and rough, eyes flaring gold for a brief moment as he turned the last corner before the vets clinic.

Derek pulled Stiles flush to his chest, the brunette crying out softly as he buried his face against the beta's neck. The older teen peered over Stiles' slender shoulder, eyes narrowed in the sporadic light as he tried to get a clear view of what Peter had seen. Stiles' lower back, hips, and across the top of his butt was red, the skin irritated and raw, what looked like scratches decorated his pale skin in ragged lines farther down than Derek could completely see from his position.

“What the fuck?” Derek snarled, eyes gleaming blue as Peter pulled into the parking lot and around the side of the low building, stopping the car beside the entrance they had used earlier.

“Do you need me to take him?” Peter's voice was soft as he turned the car off and peered into the back seat with a surprisingly gentle expression.

“No, I got him. Hold on Stiles.” Derek shoved open the door nearest the clinic, being careful as he curled an arm around the slender mer's back and slid out into the cool night. Derek stood up slowly, holding Stiles tight to his chest as he followed Peter's taller form into the brightly lit interior, movements stilted and a steady growl rumbling up his throat.

“Der?”

“I'm going to kill them. Ever last one of those fucking monsters.” The blue eyed beta uttered lowly, expression fierce as Peter lead them into one of the exam rooms and gestured Derek to a chair.

“Sit nephew, I'm going to get a blanket for him. We'll have to wait for Deaton, I don't know what kind of chemical they used on him or how to safely get it off.” The older man slipped back out of the room as Derek settled into a hard backed chair, Stiles curled in his lap protectively.

“Der, I'm okay.”

“You aren't, what did they do to you? God Stiles, your back, the marks there.” Derek fell silent, swallowing thickly and blinking back the threatening tears.

“Kate ripped out my scales below my back fin, I'm more sensitive there, its where-.” Stiles paused, breath hitching in his chest for a moment before he could continue. “Lets just say, its a good thing I'm not matured or she could have done much worse things.”

“What? Stiles what do you mean?” Derek leaned back slightly, looking down at the mer tucked under his chin.

“He mean's that because he hasn't physically matured yet, she couldn't rape him.” Peter's voice was hoarse, his eyes gold as he carefully draped a soft blanket around Stiles' bare shoulders and looked down at the teens with an unreadable expression on his face. “You had to fight the shift, didn't you?”

“Yes,” the merman's voice was incredibly soft, barely loud enough for the wolves to hear as he clutched at the blanket with one hand and Derek's shoulder with the other. “I don't think she quiet knew what she was doing, but once she figured out that my pale colored scales were more sensitive she went after them like crazy. She wanted. She wanted to hear me sing.”

“God dammit.” Derek whispered brokenly, clutching the other boy tight to his chest as if he could shield him from everything that had happened. “And they call us monsters, what are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to protect ourselves when they do shit like this?”

“I don't know nephew, I wish I had the answers for you. Talia has always preferred a lack of violence, we live in peace here, have for generations, but she's going to have to change her stance if she wishes to stay alpha. This is ridiculous, that a child should be subjected to such things in our territory, its unheard of.” Peter shook his head, pacing the length of the tiny room as he ran a hand through his hair.

Stiles was still and quiet against the dark haired teens chest, breathing deepening and evening out into slumber as he continued to cling to the bigger male, finally able to rest. Derek kept his head bowed, nose buried in messy brown hair as he held the mer close, trying to keep his rage in check for the time being. Peter continued to pace for a long while, movements jerky and too quick as his pale eyes stared into nothing.

“What are we going to do? He can't go back out there by himself, and I don't know if he can hold his form for long, he just shifted from instinct. How are we supposed to keep him safe when mom won't help us? You can't go against a direct order from her, and we saw how bad it was for me earlier, I won't be able to fight her much longer without directly challenging her.” Derek swallowed thickly, his voice soft in the quiet of the clinic as he lifted his gaze to the older beta.

“I don't know, god I wish I did. You're right though, he can't go back out to the lake as long as the Argent's are here, we'll have to find a way to get rid of them. Permanently if necessary. Dammit Talia, what has this poor boy ever done to you?”

“I wish I could answer that,” Deaton murmured as he slipped into the room, soot streaking his clothes and water decorating his pant legs.

“Deaton! Are you alright?” Derek shifted slightly, cradling Stiles tenderly as he looked the emissary over quickly.

“I'm fine, thank you for asking. How is Stiles?”

“She tried to, Kate was going to-” Derek fell silent, tears dampening his cheeks as he shook his head, pressing his nose back into the other teens hair. This was all too much, the wounds across Stiles' body were bad enough, but if she had managed anything more, Derek wasn't sure he would have been able to leave that house without ripping out her throat. He'd never felt such aggression before in his life, never understood how some wolves had trouble not hurting people, he did now, and it was terrifying.

“Kate was attempting to do some particularly horrible things to him. She apparently ripped off quite a few scales from under his bottom fin.” Peter murmured, coming up to stand beside Derek, resting a hand against the other beta's free shoulder and squeezing gently.

“Oh dear. Was he unconscious when you found him?” Deaton moved about the room quickly, striping off his dirty coat and pulling on a pair of gloves before turning back to the teens curled together in the chair.

“No, he only fell asleep a few minutes ago. What are you going to do?”

“Try and wake him for me Derek, I need to examine him, make sure she didn't do any permanent damage. Just because she couldn't reach anything doesn't mean she couldn't have injured him internally.” The vet kept his voice low and soothing, hands raised and palms open in an appeasing manner.

“Stiles,” Derek's voice was soft as he brought one hand up to carefully touch the teens injured cheek. “Stiles you need to wake up, Deaton's here.”

The merman squirmed, whinnying low in his throat as he pressed closer to the beta's chest. Derek gently coaxed the boy into wakefulness, touches tender and tone mild as he eased Stiles higher against his chest and rubbed soothing circles between his prominent shoulder blades.

“Der? Wha?” Stiles' words were slurred, eyes only opened to slits as he peered up at the three males around him curiously.

“Deaton is here, he needs to take a look at you.”

“Oh, okay.” The mer's cheeks went pale and he fidgeted against Derek for a moment before allowing the dark skinned man to pull the blanket aside, exposing the narrow expanse of his back and the jagged wounds around his hips and buttocks.

“Do you want any of us to leave?” Peter's voice was just as low as Derek's had been as he crouched down so that he was below Stiles' eye level, looking up at the mer with an open expression.

“No, no you can stay.” Stiles squinted at the older man for a moment, tucking his nose under Derek's chin and clutching at the other teen's shoulders tightly, nails digging into pale flesh as Deaton gently touched his back.

“I'm going to be as gentle as possible, you understand what she could have done, yes?” The vet murmured, one hand cupping over the sharp flare of Stiles' left hip, fingers tracing around the deep scratch makes.

“Yeah,” Stiles whispered, eyes squeezed shut and lips pressed into a hard line as he turned his face away. Derek ducked his own head down, giving Stiles as much privacy as he could manage with the boy in his lap, hazel eyes closed and hands still gently rubbing between too obvious shoulder blades.

Deaton was quick and efficient as he examined the mer, hands cool and careful as he probed around the abused flesh and peered around the boy's genitals. Stiles' pale skin was inflamed and raw, the delicate space between his balls and anus was so pink and tender Deaton didn't dare touch for fear of making the injury worse. The vet pulled away after long moments, lifting Derek's t-shirt off the mer's lap and looking over the front of the boy's body quickly, noting the deep bruising between his hips that looked suspiciously like a hand print and the gouges in the tops of his thighs and around his groin.

Deaton finally dropped the soft fabric back over Stiles, pulling the blanket around quivering shoulders and standing up slowly. The emissary moved over to the counter, resting his hands against the surface for a moment and drawing in a couple deep breaths.

“Deaton?” Peter's voice was low as the beta came to stand beside the older man. “Is he going to be okay?”

“In time, yes. As far as I can tell, without getting invasive and probably causing more harm than good, she didn't manage to damage him internally, but I can't know for sure. His penis looks alright, but the skin around and behind it is inflamed and damaged, she managed to leave bruises and nail marks all over his groin, I can't begin to describe the kind of pain he's in, its a wonder he's conscious at all.” Deaton shook his head slowly, looking over at the two boys with a heartbreaking expression on his normally passive face.

Stiles whimpered, his whole body trembling against Derek's as the dark haired teen held him close, the beta growling low in his throat. “How can we be sure? Without hurting Stiles anymore than he already is?”

“I can try an ultrasound, see if anything is torn or damaged, but its no guarantee, and we won't really know until Stiles has had a chance to grow. His body is built very differently than yours in some ways, he may not be able to-”

“Deaton!” Stiles' voice was like a whip crack in the quiet clinic as the mer jerked upright, amber eyes wide as they looked up at the emissary in horror.

“My apologies Stiles, please forgive my lack of decorum.” Deaton turned fully to face the teen, bowing deeply as he averted his gaze to the floor.

“What? Stiles what's wrong?” Derek frowned at his friend, noting how tense the other had gotten and hoping he wasn't hurting himself with the rigid posture he was holding.

“Nothing, Deaton wasn't going to say anything.” Stiles' voice was hoarse as he slumped back into Derek's embrace, slender chest heaving as he looked at the dark skinned man through narrowed eyes.

“You're correct, I wasn't. Now, shall we take care of the wounds that we can?”

“There was something in the water they had him in, chemical smelling. It was keeping him from healing, and dried him out very quickly once he was out of it. I'm not sure what it was.” Peter interjected swiftly, shaking his head at the other beta when Derek opened his mouth to speak.

Deaton set to work in silence, swabbing over the teens skin with a bit of cotton and dipping it in a solution from a glass jar he pulled from one of the cabinets. Derek lost track of time for a while as Deaton and Peter worked over Stiles, gently wiping his skin with sweet smelling cloths before tending to his wounds with something cool and milky in color. The beta helped to adjust the mer's position a few times so that the older men could get to all his injuries, keeping Stiles cradled against his chest as his mind raced with questions. What was Stiles hiding, and why?

Stiles faded in and out of consciousness as Deaton and Peter worked to care for his injuries, Derek kept the mer propped against his chest as the vet knelt between their feet, Stiles face tucked against the beta's neck. The smaller boys frame wracked by fine tremors and his cheeks flushed with embarrassment as gauze was wrapped around his thighs and groin carefully. Deaton and Peter left the room once they had done all they could for Stiles, the emissary looking shaken.

Derek helped Stiles into his shirt, the younger teen humming softly as the slightly stiff cotton was tugged over his head. The beta tucked the blanket around the slender teen as Stiles curled up in his lap once more, long fingers clinging to Derek's biceps as he whimpered softly. The beta held Stiles close, a low growl vibrating his chest as the smaller boy quivered and cried silently into Derek's shoulder. The dark haired teen could only hold on and hope that Stiles would be okay, that what Kate had done to him wouldn't leave permanent scars on the boy, physical or mental.

Peter returned shortly, beckoning Derek to follow with a tilt of his head. The teen gained his feet slowly, adjusting his hold on Stiles so that the mer's wounds weren't aggravated anymore than necessary as he followed the older man down the hall and into Deaton's office where a cot had been set up behind the desk. Derek lowered the brunette to the little pillow, fixing the blanket around his trembling form and sinking to the floor beside his friend, wrapping their fingers together as Stiles finally fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

“Is he going to be okay?” Peter inquired lowly, leaning against the desk a few feet from Derek's seated form, pale eyes locking on Deaton as the older man sank into his chair.

“I don't know. Physically he should heal alright, but there is no telling about the psychological damage. The only positive we have is that he isn't fully developed yet, Kate couldn't reach-.” The emissary fell silent, shaking his head and lips pressed into a thin line.

“What? She couldn't reach what? I don't understand.” Derek frowned up at the older man, looking to his uncle in confusion.

“There are legends that talk of mer's who are,” Peter paused, glancing at Deaton for a moment before continuing quietly. “There are legends of mer that can be both.”

“Be both what?” Derek growled, scowling up at the older beta.

“Its not my place to tell you Derek, its up to Stiles to share this with you. They are only legends, I've never heard of anyone having proof of their existence.” Peter shook his head, looking down at Derek sadly before his gaze lifted to look at the slumbering teen behind him. “If he is, we have to do all we can to keep him safe. When his mother's tribe finds out we allowed something like this to happen, they could take him away.”

“What? No!” Derek's voice broke and he ducked his head quickly, cheeks flushing at the outburst. “They can't take him, he's-.” The dark haired youth swallowed thickly, shaking his head. “They can't.”

“If the tribe wishes to take him we have no right to stop them. Stiles deserves a chance to grow, he deserves to be with his own people.” Peter's voice was soft as he looked down at his nephew, expression grieved and strained.

“But, but he's been on his own for so long, why would they come now?” Derek demanded, mouth pressed into a hard line at the horrifying thought of Stiles leaving.

“I don't know that they will, but Deaton has a responsibility to inform them of this transgression, Stiles' life was put at risk and if he is what I think he is, they will want him with the tribe, to be protected.” Peter looked at the emissary who nodded slowly.

“I have to contact them, they may choose to do nothing, but it is doubtful given who and what Stiles is. With Talia treating him the way she is, we can't guarantee his safety.” Deaton stood and pulled a few things off his desk before settling back into his chair and bending over a heavy book. “If Stiles' condition does not improve before the end of the week I will have to transport him to his mother's tribe one way or another. The damage done to his body may seem minimal, but if Kate managed to harm anything internal he has to be with his tribe if there is any hope of recovery.”

“I don't understand. You keep talking like Stiles is special, but he's been without a tribe his whole life, why does it matter now?” Derek frowned, forcing his grip around Stiles' slender fingers to relax.

“I believe Stiles is special. He's incredibly rare even for a mer, and I have a feeling his tribe was never informed of this. I have to tell them, he's a minor and has been hurt in such a way that if he doesn't get the proper attention it could have lifelong consequences. Not only for him but for his species.” Deaton looked at Derek with dark eyes, gaze skimming over the teen's expression carefully.

Derek growled, turning to look at his friend. “I don't get it, what aren't you telling me?”

“Derek, we can't. There is no way to know for certain until he can mature properly, but there have been signs that point me to this conclusion. If Stiles wishes to tell you, he will.” The emissary shook his head, visage sad but resigned as the beta scowled.

“Don't push this Derek, its Stiles' decision if he wants to tell you or not, its his body. I know that he trusts you and cares about you, but this is a unique situation we find ourselves in. I can only be thankful that Kate wasn't aware of what she'd stumbled across with him. If she had any idea,” Deaton shook his head, mouth twisted into a grimace as he bent back over his book and paper.

“Okay, I'm sorry for snapping at you, its been a long night.” Derek murmured, turning so he could lay his head on the cot beside Stiles' slender chest, tucking the mer's hand close to his own chest and breathing raggedly for a moment. “Is it okay that I stay with him?”

“Of course Derek, you can stay as long as you like, you'll be safe here.” Deaton smiled softly as he continued to write something in a language Derek had never seen before.

“I'm going to head back to the hotel, hopefully keep Talia from being a pain in the ass at least for tonight. Try and get some rest Derek, I'll be by some time tomorrow to check on you both.” Peter crouched down, brushing a kiss over the younger beta's brow as Derek hummed in acknowledgment.

“Night uncle Peter, thank you for helping.”

“Of course nephew.” Peter murmured, touching just the tips of his fingers to Stiles' messy hair before straightening up and slipping out of the office quietly.

 


	4. Beyond pain, an ember of something precious begins to glow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some hard truths are realized by Stiles and Derek both. And a new person steps in, if only for a moment.

Stiles woke slowly, his toes cold but his right hand wrapped in warmth, sunlight bathing his face as he blinked slowly, taking in his surroundings curiously. Derek was the warmth against his sternum, broad palm keeping Stiles' hand tucked to his bare chest as he breathed deeply from his spot on the floor, thick lashes fluttering over his cheeks and lips parted in slumber. The merman smiled tenderly, bringing his left hand up to card through messy dark hair, causing the other teen to snuffle and shift closer.

“He hasn't left your side all night.” Deaton's voice was low from his spot in the doorway, expression gentle as he looked over the brunette with clear, dark brown eyes.

“He can be pretty protective.” Stiles murmured in response, amber eyes bright in the golden light filtering into the office from the single window across from where he lay.

“I've noticed. He's worried about you, with good reason I might add. Were you aware of your nature prior to this incident?” The emissary crossed his arms over his chest, stepping into the room and easing down into the chair near the door.

“I wasn't sure, can't be until I'm older can I? But mom always hoped I would be. Its fairly common in her tribe, one in every generation apparently.” Stiles kept his gaze focused on the boy beside him, still combing his fingers through thick, dark hair. He sank human teeth into his lower lip and startled slightly as the flat things barely dented his soft flesh, not used to them filling his mouth anymore.

“You should have informed me immediately, I know that I have been lacking in my duties but this is important Stiles. If anything were to happen to you-.”

“I know, okay?” Stiles cut in, swallowing thickly and trying not to thick of what had happened the night before. “I know, I'm sorry. Its just, if I'm not it would be a lot of fuss for nothing.” Stiles shook his head, biting at his bottom lip again and finally looking up at the older male with a melancholy expression on his face. “Believe me, I know.”

“I have sent a message to your tribe, I hope to hear from them soon on what they wish for you to do.” Deaton said slowly, as if he knew that his words would cause upset with the merman.

“What?” Stiles whispered hoarsely, eyes widening as he sat up suddenly, hissing in pain as he jostled tender wounds. “You can't!”

“It is already done Stiles. Its my responsibility to make sure you are properly cared for, and I can't help you with this, no one here can. You need your tribe.” Deaton frowned, arms still crossed over his chest as he leaned back in the chair, lips pursed into a firm line.

“I won't go,” the mer snarled lowly, “they can't make me!”

“They can and so can I, Stiles this is for your own good, as much as I hate to say such things. You can't continue like this, you're killing yourself here. You need your tribe, you need a chance to grow and mature.” Deaton intoned calmly, leaning forward in his seat to look at the boy more closely.

“I don't want to, please don't make me go.” Stiles' voice shook as he curled in on himself, twisting onto his side away from the emissary and tangling his fingers in his hair. The teen buried his nose in the collar of Derek's shirt, breathing in raggedly the warm scent of the two of them mixing together.

“Stiles, please. I don't have what you need here, and neither does Derek. He can't provide the support you need, as much as he'd like to, and you're only hurting yourself by staying here.” Deaton shook his head, sighing sadly as the teen refused to turn back around, broad shoulders hunched up near his ears.

“Wha? Stiles, are you okay?” Derek sat up, rubbing a hand over his face groggily as he reached out with his other hand to gently touch the mer's shoulder. The beta's eyes were still mostly closed, his regal nose scrunched in a way that was oddly cute on a sixteen year old boy.

Stiles rolled over, long fingers curling over Derek's broad shoulders and pulling the other teen down almost on top of him. The beta grunted, dropping a palm to the floor so his full weight wasn't on the slender brunette, looking down at Stiles with confused hazel eyes. Stiles pressed his face into the older teen's broad chest, swallowing thickly and biting at his lower lip again, fear and anxiety clawing at his throat.

“What's wrong?” Derek rumbled, voice thick from sleep and gaze unfocused as he squinted in the bright sunlight filling the little office.

“I don't want to go,” Stiles whispered, clinging to the bigger teen tightly and shaking his head, brow pressed to the beta's sternum.

“Go where?” Derek inquired lowly, nose wrinkled and biceps straining as he kept his weight off the merman.

“To the tribe, I don't want to go, I don't want to leave you.” The mer trembled, hands shaking where they were digging into the firm muscles of Derek's shoulders.

“You already got in contact with the tribe?” Derek looked over at the emissary, blinking rapidly as he tried to focus on what was going on.

“Not yet, I'm waiting for them to respond to my message.” Deaton answered calmly, watching the teens intently.

“Can you give us a minute? I want to talk to Stiles alone.” The beta inquired, frown pulling at his mouth as he looked up at the emissary over his shoulder, most of Stiles blocked from view under his larger frame.

“Of course, let me know when you're done so I can tend to his wounds.” Deaton stood, bowing his head before slipping out of the room and easing the door closed behind him with a soft click, his footsteps echoing down the hall until those too faded from Stiles' hearing.

“Stiles, tell me what's going on? I don't understand.” Derek held himself over the mer's quivering form, looking into wet amber eyes with a firm set to his mouth and still blinking sleep from his eyes.

“I.” Stiles swallowed convulsively, blinking as tears dripped down his face and his lips trembled. “I think I'm different, and if I go to the tribe and I am, they won't let me leave.” The brunette said in a rush, trying to get the words out as fast as he could, and maybe save them both some embarrassment in the process.

“Different how, Stiles? Please, this doesn't make any sense. I thought you needed to be with a tribe to grow?” Derek frowned, lifting a hand to rub under his eyes before cupping Stiles' chin gently and forcing the smaller teen to meet his gaze.

“I do, but I'm-.” The mer released Derek's shoulders, running his hands over his damp face and drawing in a shivering breath. “I'm both, there isn't a word that I know for what I am, but I'm both.” Stiles said the words into his cupped hands, amber eyes wide and cheeks flushed a rich pink.

“Both what?” Derek frowned, shifting to the side to kneel next to the cot as Stiles curled into a little ball facing him, the beta's broad hands resting in his lap.

“Both, I can-. God this is embarrassing. I can carry, its rare but not unheard of, especially in my tribe, for a child to be born that can be both.” Stiles blinked up at Derek, eyes still wet and too wide as his gaze skimmed over the beta's face.

“Stiles, we both know I'm not as smart as you, I'm not really getting what you're saying here. Carry what?” Derek shook his head, mouth pursed and hazel eyes narrowed, expression clearly confused as he looked over the teen from crown to bare toes that were peeking from the end of the thin blanket.

“A, a child. I think I can carry a child.” Stiles' voice was almost too low for Derek to hear even though they were only inches apart and the dark haired teen squinted in confusion before shock washed over his face.

“You can-? But you're a-.” The beta gestured at Stiles, head shaking and lips parting in surprise, nostrils flared as he drew in another deep breath.

“I don't know for sure!” Stiles lifted his hands quickly, leaning up on an elbow and reaching for the other boy before turning his face away, cheeks flushed and hand falling limply back to the cot. “I won't know for sure until I mature, but my mom thought so and Deaton thinks so too, its why he contacted the tribe. If I am, they won't let me leave, I won't be allowed to come back into the human world, won't be allowed to have legs again. They'll keep me.”

“Stiles.” Derek murmured, gently pulling the slender youth against his chest and holding tightly as the merman cried weakly, big hands coming up to rub over a too obvious spine.

“I don't want to go. I don't want to mature if that's what's going to happen. I want to stay. I want to stay with you. Please Derek, don't make me go.” Stiles' voice shook, his whole body trembling as he clung to the beta, knowing he sounded pathetic and childlike but not caring as Derek held him close.

“Hey, shh, its okay Stiles. Look at me, come on.” Derek gently eased the mer back until watery amber eyes finally lifted and Derek pressed their brows together. “You need to go, you need to heal and grow and get better. You can't stay like this Stiles, and I can't promise that we can make the Argent's go away. But if you go with the tribe, you'll be safe. You'll finally be able to grow up, get stronger. Isn't that important to you? Do you want to be like this forever?”

“But I-.” Stiles bit his lower lip, fingers clenched tight around Derek's shoulders again. “I don't want to be without you, I need you.” The mer whispered, eyes downcast and cheeks still flushed, trying to avoid the other boy's knowing expression.

“I know, but you need to grow too. You can't stay like this, its not healthy. And what Kate did to you, if she'd figured out how special you are, god Stiles, I can't even think about it.” Derek shook his head, vibrant blue coloring his eyes for a moment before he got control once more. “I need you too, but Stiles, I need you to be healthy even more, and if that means you go and live with the tribe for a while, I'm okay with that.”

“You don't understand! If I'm both, they won't let me leave again, they will keep me!” Stiles cried out, head shaking as fresh tears spilled down his pale cheeks, jerking back from the beta almost violently only to have Derek's strong arms halt his movement before he could get very far.

Derek pulled back slightly as well, keeping his arms locked tight to prohibit Stiles from squirming away without causing more damage, looking around the orderly room before spotting the full length mirror tucked behind the door. “Come here.” The beta scooped Stiles up, blanket and all, moving over to the mirror and gently setting the merman on his slender feet.

“Derek, what?” Stiles quivered, his legs shaking as Derek held him tight to his chest, hold gentle but visage fierce in the warm natural light.

“You need to see, because I don't think you'll understand until you do.” Derek pulled the blanket away, exposing Stiles with careful movements, hazel eyes locked on their reflections, as one broad hand came up and lifted the hem of his shirt until it bunched under slender arms. “This is what you've become. This is how you look without a tribe. This is how you look nearly starved and underdeveloped because you don't have a tribe to support and nurture you. I can't help with this Stiles, sure I can feed you and try to keep you safe but I can't help you grow. As much as I wish I could fix this, as much as I want to make you better and keep you close, we both know I can't.”

The merman's slender form fit easily beneath Derek's chin, the beta standing a whole head taller than the boy he was only four months older than. Stiles' legs were stick thin, his knees knobbly and thighs slender enough that when Derek reached down, he easily wrapped his fingers around the middle of it. Stiles' stomach was concave, hips sharp and every rib visible, his collarbones standing out starkly. Derek gently brought his hand back up, curling his fingers around the mer's waist and pressing in as he brought his other hand down from where it had been curled around the teen's shoulder to keep him upright, both of them watching as the beta managed to lace his fingers together over Stiles' belly button with his thumbs only an inch apart in the back at either side of his spine.

“You're dying here. And there's nothing I can do to stop that. I wish there was Stiles, I wish I could make this all go away, but I can't and we both know it. You need to be with a tribe.” Derek's voice was low as he met Stiles' wide amber eyes in the mirror once more, watching as the mer looked at himself for the first time in over three years.

“I-.” Stiles' voice shook, blinking rapidly as tears dripped down the too sharp point of his chin to dampen the cotton bundled up beneath it. Derek leaned to the side, picking up the blanket and wrapping it around the mer, hiding the destruction of his body from sight once more. Stiles turned shakily in the beta's strong embrace, legs still quivering under his weight and curling his arms around Derek's waist, holding on tightly as the dark haired teen picked him up and settled into the chair, holding on carefully as Stiles shook and cried.

“Shh, I've got you, shh.” Derek murmured, stroking messy brown hair off the mer's forehead and pressing his lips there, his own eyes damp and throat clicking dryly with suppressed emotion.

Stiles didn't know how long they sat there with him curled up in Derek's lap, sobbing against the beta's neck, but when he could finally pull himself together and lean back, the bigger teens chest was a mess of tears and mucous, his skin blotchy. The mer lifted his head slowly, meeting wet hazel eyes and a soft expression with a tentative one of his own.

“You're okay, or at least you will be, but I need you to do this for me Stiles. Even if the tribe doesn't get back to Deaton, I need you to go and get better. I'll come and visit you.” Derek whispered, voice a little tight as his chin quivered with hard won control, staring deep into Stiles red rimmed eyes as the mer sniffled.

“But what if they won't let me leave?” Stiles whimpered, still clutching at Derek's waist with long fingers, blunt nails digging into soft skin.

“Then I'll kidnap you.” The beta said simply, shoulders shrugging and mouth twisting into a determined line. “When you're ready to leave, when you're better, I'll come get you and bring you home. If that's what you want.”

“Derek.”

“I mean it Stiles. I need you to get better, I need you to have this chance to become the man I know you can, but can't here. You can't, and as much as that pains me to admit, I know its true. You'll waste away here, trapped in that little lake with no chance of growing up. I can't, I won't let that happen.” Derek shook his head firmly, bringing his hands up to cup the mer's face and pressing their brows together tenderly.

“Oh, Der.” Stiles whispered, pressing into the warm palms and brushing their noses together. “Okay, okay I will. But you have to promise me something.”

“Anything,” the beta replied easily, nuzzling into Stiles' cheek and drawing them even closer together.

“Promise you'll take a drama class next semester.” The mer murmured, lips twitching and tear damp eyes even brighter now with mischief.

“Seriously Stiles?” Derek chuckled weakly, a tear slipping down his cheek as he smiled tenuously.

“Seriously. I want you quoting Shakespeare when you come visit.” Stiles grinned, leaning closer to brush a kiss to Derek's wet cheek. “I need to know someone is enjoying your penchant for drama.”

“Alright, you little weirdo. I'll take a damn drama class if it'll make you happy. God, no one at school is going to take me seriously ever again.” Derek shook his head, one corner of his mouth ticking up as he cuddled Stiles close to his chest once more, burying his nose in soft brown hair.

“Psh, they'll think you're amazing.” Stiles whispered, relaxing into the warm embrace completely and sighing tiredly. “I'm exhausted.”

“I know, but Deaton needs to take a look at you.” Derek murmured in return, hands rubbing up and down Stiles' upper back gently.

“Alright,” the mer mumbled, nuzzling under Derek's chin before pulling back with a slight frown.

“What's wrong?” Derek's brow furrowed as Stiles lifted a hand to rub against his cheek.

“You're gunna have to start shaving soon.” The merman commented, grinning at Derek's look of exasperation.

“Great, just what I need.” Derek rolled his eyes, gathering Stiles close and shuffling to his feet, moving back over to the cot and lowering the mer's slender frame carefully. “I'm going to go get Deaton, I'll be right back.”

“Kay. Hey Der? Thank you.” Stiles whispered, looking up at the other teen with a soft expression.

“Anytime Stiles, you know that.” Derek replied, brushing his lips over the mer's brow before slipping out of the room in search of the emissary.

Deaton's examination was quick but thorough, the older man lifting the gauze away from delicate skin and probing gently around the bruises and marks across Stiles' chest. “You're healing, but slowly. I want to keep you out of water for another day at least, and then we can try submerging you and see if that helps. More than anything you need rest and food.”

“I can go get you something.” Derek offered from his spot across the room, giving Stiles a bit of privacy as Deaton applied fresh gauze and a couple of pads to some of the deeper wounds.

“Please?” Stiles inquired, smiling up at Derek brightly as the beta got to his feet and stretched, back cracking in a truly satisfying way.

“Sure, I'm gunna swing by the hotel and check in, I might be a little while, but I'll be back.” Derek stepped around Deaton's kneeling form, bending at the waist to card his fingers through Stiles' hair and press a kiss to his nearest cheek. “Try and get some sleep while I'm gone, okay?”

“Kay, see you soon Der.” Stiles smiled up into clear hazel eyes as the beta straightened up and headed for the door.

“If Talia gives you a hard time, call me, I'll speak with her.” Deaton called to the teen's retreating back. Derek waved a hand in acknowledgment before he turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

“I'm being selfish aren't I?” Stiles intoned, shifting slightly on the cot to a more comfortable position.

“I guess that depends.” Deaton replied calmly, wrapping another strip of gauze around Stiles' right thigh.

“What do you mean?” The merman frowned, looking up at the emissary in confusion.

“Do you intend to not return his affections?”

“I, no! I mean I already do, but that's not fair to him is it?” Stiles twisted his hands together, cheeks flushed as Deaton sat back, draping the blanket back over the teen's hips.

“That young man is willing and ready to abandon his pack for you, to sacrifice everything he grew up with just to be your friend. I think that says a lot about a person, don't you?” Deaton stood up, striping off his gloves and tossing them in the garbage as Stiles lay there stunned for a moment.

“I, yeah, I guess it does. But he can't do that, he can't survive without his pack.”

“Then I suggest you keep doing what you're doing. Love him, protect him, but make sure he understands that you can't be more than his friend.” Deaton murmured gently, looking down at the merman with a sad twist to his mouth.

“There really isn't a way, is there? He has to have an alpha, and he'll never be one naturally, he'd have to kill one to become one.”

“That is correct. Life is hard Stiles, it will never be easy, not for you and not for Derek, but you can keep him close. Love him and support him in the decisions he makes throughout his life. I think that's more than a lot of us get.” The emissary turned, leaving the room as a heavy weight settled over Stiles' heart.

The teen lay there for long minutes in silence, staring up at the patterns sunlight was making across the ceiling, hands laced together on his stomach and breathing slow and deep to keep himself calm. Derek would become an omega without his pack, without an alpha, he would lose his hard won control and the personality that Stiles loved so much would fade away if that happened, to be replaced with instinct and aggression. The merman remembered stories Derek had told him, of beta's losing their packs or their mates and becoming omegas, feral creatures that more often than not couldn't be reasoned with or helped.

Stiles' didn't want that for Derek, he didn't want that for anyone, but least of all his dear friend. The beta was sweet and kind, funny and witty with incredible willpower and determination, a smile that could light up a room and strength beyond Stiles' imagination. Derek was a good person, always trying to do what was right, even if it got him in trouble sometimes, or put him in compromising or dangerous situations like last night. Derek didn't need to risk himself to save Stiles, he was a beta and only sixteen at that, there was no reason for someone so young to be putting themselves in that kind of danger for a friend.

The merman's thoughts swirled and stalled for a moment as he realized what he was thinking. There was no reason for Derek to risk his life like that for a friend, it was practically unheard of for a werewolf to put a non pack member before the well-being of the pack. And yet, Derek had done just that, more than likely disobeying his alpha in the process. Stiles bit at his thumbnail for a moment, eyes narrowed as he tried to come to some conclusion that didn't point to Derek thinking they were pack mates, or maybe even something more than that.

“There is no way,” the brunette muttered, shaking his head slowly. The mere possibility that Derek considered him as more than a friend had never crossed Stiles' mind before. The beta had dated Paige for months before her death, and he only ever spoke of being attracted to females when their conversations drifted in that direction.

There was the distinct possibility that Derek considered him pack, which might be odd, but not unheard of. Werewolf packs were known for being the most lenient about what species they accepted, never turning anyone away unless they showed the potential to hurt the pack. If Derek thought of him as pack it would explain his actions the night before, but there was something nagging at Stiles, whispering in the back of his mind that he was missing something, missing something important.

_'I need you too_ ,' was what Derek had said only thirty minutes earlier. Stiles had said it because it was true, he needed Derek, he'd only survived this long because of the contact he'd been allowed with the other teen. But, for Derek to say it in return, for him to have meant it, was huge. If Derek considered him as pack, maybe even more than pack, they were stepping into dangerous territory, especially if Stiles was as different as he thought he was.

“You can't, god Derek you can't.” Stiles whispered, eyes wide as he rolled onto his side and stared blankly at the mostly closed door. The beta's response to him was both troubling and exhilarating, it was one thing to have pack mates be different species, it was another thing entirely for mates to be.

Werewolves tended to mate for life, it wasn't an imperative so much as that they had the ability to make a good judgment of character and therefore could easily pick the best person to spend their life with. They could read chemo signals and pheromones that someone was putting out with ease and know with little doubt that they were the right fit for them. Werewolves never got divorced or separated, and it their mate died, they more often than not fell to omega and had to be put out of their misery.

All the signs were pointing quiet insistently at Derek thinking they were mates, and Stiles was mildly terrified of the thought. Not that he didn't want to be with the beta always, but that they would always face the stigma of being too different. If Stiles was both, which he was fairly certain he was, there was a slight chance he could give Derek children, there was enough in common between mer's and werewolves to make the coupling possible, but there would be risks. Many of which Stiles really didn't want to think about at the moment.

Stiles rubbed a hand over his face, wishing his mind hadn't lead him down this dangerous path. If his assumptions were correct, him leaving to live with the tribe could be even more upsetting than he'd originally thought. It was one thing to be separated from your anchor, it was another thing entirely to be away from your mate. Stiles hoped that he was mistaken, as much as it would hurt to watch Derek fall in love again and start a family it would hurt even more to see his friend become something he wasn't.

The merman sighed, tugging the collar of Derek's shirt up over his nose and breathing in deeply, taking in the scent of old sweat and water as well as the unique melody of flavors that made up the beta's natural scent. Stiles' nose wasn't anywhere near as powerful as a werewolf's, but he would know Derek's scent anywhere, rich and earthy with the softest undertone of green growing things. The beta always smelled of the forest that he spent so much of his time in, and Stiles had gotten whiffs of it frequently over the years, mostly when they were in school together and he had brushed past the other boy in the hallways, being able to experience it again after so long without was wonderful.

Stiles sighed tiredly, tangling his fingers in the dark colored cotton and slowly drawing his knees up, biting at his lip as his wounds protested the movement. The merman had only managed to see a few of his injuries the night before, too distracted by pain and fear to get a good look at the damage done to him. Even this morning, he'd been so tired and in a little too much shock to really pay attention as Deaton had checked him over. Stiles could certainly feel the gashes in his thighs and the bruises low on his abdomen, but he really didn't want to see them.

The merman groaned, burying his nose into Derek's shirt and allowing fatigue to pull him under, already missing the beta.

~?!?~

When Derek returned to the clinic almost two hours later with Peter in tow, Stiles was curled up on his side beneath the thin blanket, tip-tilted nose tucked into the collar of Derek's old shirt. The brunette was sleeping peacefully once more, hands tucked under his chin and lashes fanned out over the high crests of his cheekbones, full lips parted as he breathed deeply. Derek set the bag of food on the desk, crouching down beside the slumbering teen and brushing the tips of his fingers over a thin cheek softly.

“He needs his rest.” Peter murmured from his spot just inside the door, shoulder leaning against the frame and hands tucked into his pockets. The older beta was looking a little rough around the edges, clothes worn and wrinkled, and two days worth of pale stubble on his cheeks.

“Yeah, its been a rough few days. Has Deaton heard back from the tribe yet?” Derek asked quietly as he settled on the floor next to the cot.

“Not yet, he only sent out the missive this morning. How are you doing nephew?” The older beta inquired, they'd been silent on the car ride over from the hotel, Derek slipping in and out of consciousness while he had the chance to get a little more rest.

“I'm okay, scared though. I know he needs to go, and I told him to, but I don't want him to, you know?” Derek whispered hoarsely, refusing to look up at his uncle for fear he would see pity in the older man's pale eyes.

“I understand, but he does need to. He'll be stuck like this if he doesn't.” Peter said gently, settling in the chair next to the door and leaning forward, elbows braced on his knees.

“Yeah, and I think that scares me almost as much as him leaving does. I won't be there to look after him, not that I've done a very good job of that as it is.” Derek sighed, running a hand over his face and encountering the soft scratch of hair that Stiles had commented on earlier.

“You were doing all you could Derek. Stiles is a very stubborn young man, he didn't want you to worry about him.” Peter said calmly, gaze focused on the merman when Derek finally lifted his head to look at him briefly.

“I get that, its just. Why didn't he trust me? I feel like I'm just now learning all these huge things about him and that doesn't seem right. We've known each other for over three years, I should know this stuff already.” The dark haired teen looked down at Stiles' sleeping face, reaching out a hand to cup over the brunette's tangled fingers. “Its so weird to see him with out all the scales.”

“I'm sure it is, its probably weird for him to not have scales.” Peter commented with a rye grin, “you need to understand something Derek. You may think werewolves are a secretive bunch, but we have nothing on the mer population. There is almost nothing known about them other than that they live in tribes and can grow to be a couple hundred years old if given the chance. The fact that Stiles is telling you anything about himself is a miracle.” Peter shrugged, smiling faintly down at the teens as Derek looked up at him.

“He told me what he is, well what you all think he is. I don't understand how its possible, but I don't really doubt it. If anyone could do that, it would be Stiles. He'll probably meet some great mer while he's with the tribe and won't want to come back.” Derek's voice was low, expression pinched as he looked away from the older beta.

“I highly doubt that nephew. I've never seen someone so devoted so young. He'll come back.” Peter kept his voice low as well, pale eyes soft as Derek lifted his head again.

“But, I mean, he'd have the chance to have a family again. Even if he isn't both, he could still have a family again. We can't-.” Derek stuttered to a halt, cheeks flushing richly as Peter arced an eyebrow. “I just mean, I can't give him that.”

“Derek, I know that from your experience family means a husband and a wife and numerous children, but it isn't always that way. You don't have to have those things to be a family.”

“What do you mean?” Derek frowned slightly, looking up at Peter as he wrinkled his nose in confusion.

“I mean that not all families are built that way. Honestly, you don't even have to have sex with someone you love to be a family, or to show you love them.” The older man said easily, leaning back in the chair and relaxing as Derek spluttered in embarrassment, a tiny smile curling his lips upward.

“Uncle Peter! God, this is not the talk I want to be having with you, ever.” Derek said weakly, blushing so hard the tips of his ears were pink.

“I think it is. You need to understand and be open minded about this Derek. That boy loves you, enough that he was willing to give up his life on the mere chance that he could save your pack. That isn't simple friendship, that isn't something you do out of obligation or because you think its the right thing to do. From what you've told me and what I saw, Stiles was more than willing to sacrifice himself to help you. Don't waste this chance at something amazing Derek.” Peter said lowly, eyes gleaming in the afternoon light spilling into the office.

“I, I won't.” Derek replied quietly, looking down at Stiles as the other teen squirmed, those long fingers sliding apart to wrap around Derek's thicker ones, a soft hum emitting from the merman.

“Hey,” Stiles mumbled into his pillow, one amber eye cracking open to squint up at Derek. “Hi Peter.”

“Hello Stiles, feeling any better?”

“Mhmm, do I smell curly fries?” Stiles propped himself up on an elbow, fingers still curled around Derek's tightly.

“Yup, you want some?” Derek grinned at the content expression on the smaller boy's face, taking quiet joy in Stiles' easy pleasure.

“Yes please, starving.” The mer said, nose twitching as he breathed in deeply, humming low in his throat at the heavy scent of fried potatoes filling the room.

Peter stood, handing the bag down to Derek before he turned for the door with a grin tugging at his lips. “I'm going to see how Deaton is doing, you boys play nice.”

“Okay uncle Peter,” Stiles replied with an easy grin, gaze focused on the bag in Derek's hands as the other teen opened it. The older beta stumbled, looking over his shoulder in surprise before slipping out of the room with a shake of his head.

Ten minutes later found Derek with a lap full of content merman, Stiles nibbling on a curly fry and tucked under the beta's chin. Derek had an arm curled around the mer's shoulders, nose occasionally brushing Stiles' temple as they talked quietly about the classes Derek was going to take at the start of the next school year.

“Bio or chemistry?” Derek asked lightly, grinning as Stiles hummed, tapping his fry against his lips in a thoughtful manner.

“I guess that depends, do you wanna know about living things or blow stuff up?” Stiles asked with a chuckle, amber eyes bright and body relaxed against Derek's chest.

“Good point, bio it is.” The beta replied with a shake of his head, lips tipping up at the corners.

“So, bio, drama, algebra, English, what else?” The mer inquired, taking another dainty bite of crisp potato.

“Probably PE again this year, its a good way to work off the extra energy I always seem to have, and I think I want to take the home economics class.” Derek added the last bit quietly, cheeks flushed slightly at the admission.

“Really? That's an awesome choice! And basketball of course.” Stiles snickered, expression bright as Derek rolled his eyes.

“Of course. I know the big sport here is lacrosse, but I never really got into it.” Derek shrugged, smiling at Stiles' enthusiasm.

“Whatever makes you happy Der.”

Derek smiled sadly at that, knowing that even if he enjoyed his classes there would always be something missing in the form of the teen before him. The beta stayed quiet, watching as Stiles ate little by little until he handed over the container of fries with a sad twist to his mouth and a soft groan.

“No more.”

“Full or don't feel good?” Derek asked quickly, looking down at the brunette with a worried expression.

“Just full, probably not the best choice in food when I haven't eaten properly in years, but oh my god were they good.” Stiles smiled, tipping his head back to lean against Derek's shoulder as he folded his hands over his stomach.

“I'm glad, still want to yell at you for not telling me about that little issue, but I'll let it slide since you're injured.” Derek scowled at the mer, Stiles looking up at him sheepishly before the beta gave up and just held the other boy close. “Be lucky I like you, or there would be lots of yelling anyways.”

“I'm very, very grateful.” Stiles replied, nose tucked into the hinge of Derek's jaw and long hands curling over Derek's where they rested across his chest.

Quiet fell between them once more as Stiles' breathing slowed and evened out, lashes fluttering against the skin of the beta's chin as he dozed peacefully. Derek reclined against one of the bookshelves, eyes half-lidded and lips pressed to a smooth temple as he enjoyed the closeness he and Stiles were finally able to share. The beta had obeyed his mother to a certain extent, he spent time with Stiles, but had always made sure he didn't get in the water or touch the other teen. Now that he'd finally crossed that last barrier between them, Derek couldn't see himself going with out the physical contact, werewolves were naturally tactile creatures, and if mer's were too, well who was Derek to go against instinct when it didn't hurt anyone?

The dark haired teen was just starting to nod off, Stiles warm and solid against his chest when raised voices reached his sensitive hearing.

“Where is he? What have you done with him? I will see him now human or may the gods show you mercy, for I won't!” A man's voice, hoarse and rough echoed through the clinic causing Derek to startle.

“Please, Chief Gajos, calm yourself. Stiles needs his rest. I didn't intend for you to come here, I will bring him to you when he is ready to travel.” Deaton's voice was low, and Derek could pick up the distinct tone of irritation.

“I will see him now emissary or I will have your head. Where. Is. He?”

“Respectfully Chief Gajos, you need to back down. The boy is injured and resting. He does not know you and frightening him will do you no good.” Peter said calmly, his heartbeat even. Derek could picture his uncle's expression perfectly, lips pursed and eyes narrowed, hands probably raised in a bid for innocence.

“Move wolf, I want to see my grandson now!” The last word was like a thunderclap, Stiles crying out and clutching at Derek in fear as the very walls around them trembled.

“Shh, I've got you, you're okay.” The beta whispered lowly, holding the mer to his chest protectively and pressing his nose to Stiles' throat.

“Wha? What's going on, what was that?” The brunette asked shakily, hands fluttering as his feet kicked out reflexively, slender frame shaking as wide amber eyes looked around the room.

“Your grandfather apparently, here, scoot over so I can get up.” Derek carefully lifted the petite boy, easing Stiles up on his less injured right hip.

The door to the office slammed against the wall, shattering the mirror before Derek could get to his feet, a behemoth of a man filling the doorway. The beta stumbled upright, eyes wide and bright blue as he took in the hulking figure before him, staying as much in front of Stiles' fragile form as he could. The man was close to six and a half feet if he wasn't already, shoulders almost too broad to fit through the door, his hair was a darker shade of brown than Stiles', and fell well down his back, eyes a shade of blue so dark they were almost black.

“Move wolf.” His voice was still hoarse, like he didn't talk much or something had managed to damage his vocal chords at some point.

“No.” Derek said firmly even though he could feel his hands shaking in mounting fear. This man was huge, his torso heavily muscled and his demeanor fierce, those dark eyes cold and calculating.

“Grandson, you will stand and attend me!”

“He can't you bully, stop yelling!” Derek snarled, bracing his feet wider apart and shielding more of Stiles with his body.

“I did not ask for your opinion boy, be silent. Grandson, stand and attend me!” That thunderous voice made Derek's knees quake and his shoulders hunch, blue eyes squinted as he bared his teeth.

Long fingers gripped the back of his right pant leg and Derek twisted to look down at Stiles in surprise as the mer used his clothes to heave himself up. Derek growled, reaching a hand down to assist his friend when that booming voice almost dropped him to the floor once more.

“You will not interfere! He will stand on his own.”

“He's injured and weak, what's your problem?” Derek cried out, fangs marring his speech as he looked up at the brute.

“Be silent!”

It took every once of willpower the beta possessed to not drop to his knees and bare his neck right then, whole body shaking as Stiles' fingers latched onto his belt and the brunette managed to get his feet under him. Derek stood still, angry tears filling his eyes as he watched Stiles stumble upright, the mer leaning heavily against Derek's back, one hand locked in the wrinkled folds of his blanket and the other still hooked around the beta's belt.

“Present yourself!”

“I am,” Stiles grit out, amber eyes glowing brightly as he lifted his head and stared at the chief. Derek slid an arm around his slender waist, lending his strength as Stiles wobbled on legs he wasn't used to.

“Drop your coverings and present yourself grandson!”

“No.” Stiles' voice was low and harsh, muscles spasming and too sharp teeth clenched. Scales blossomed beneath the loose collar of his shirt and under Derek's hand that was wrapped around his hip.

“You will present yourself to your chief!” The man demanded, taking a harsh step forward as his shoulders went back, emphasizing the breadth of his chest and the swell of his biceps.

“I. Am.” Stiles snarled in reply, head coming up and mouth twisted in a sneer.

“You will drop your coverings and present yourself to your chief as is proper!”

“I will not expose myself to a bully and a tyrant!” Stiles snapped back, anger radiating from ever fiber of his being as he glared up at his grandfather.

The man took another step forward and Peter slipped around his massive form, stopping in front of Stiles protectively, eyes bright gold and clawed hands held out to his sides. The chief paused, a bemused expression flitting across his face for a moment before he snorted in derision and grabbed the older beta by his shirt collar, tossing him back through the open door like he weighed nothing at all.

“Present!” That single word was like running full speed into a brick wall, Derek shook violently, clutching Stiles close to his side as the mer whined high in the back of his throat.

“No.”

“You would disobey your chief?”

“You aren't my chief.” Stiles growled out, whole body shaking as he fought the will of an alpha. “You are in my territory and you will conduct yourself with deference to me!”

Silence fell over the clinic as the huge merman shifted his weight in surprise, dark eyes wide as they flicked over Stiles' slender form. “Very well.” Chief Gajos turned abruptly and left the room, shoving Peter into a wall on his way when the sandy haired man didn't move fast enough. “You will bring him to me when he is fit to travel.”

The front door to the clinic slammed a moment later, Deaton coming around the far corner with an angry twist to his mouth. Stiles' legs gave out, sagging heavily against Derek's side as they both slumped to the cot. Peter limped into the office with Deaton's assistance, both looking haggard and irritated as they looked at the quivering teens.

“Stiles, are you okay?” Derek's voice shook, the pheromones in the air thick with aggression and the will to dominate.

“Mhmm, I think so.” The brunette mumbled back, cheek resting against Derek's collarbone as they both took deep, heaving breaths. “So that's my maternal grandfather? I can see why mom left.”

“I apologize Stiles, I did not intend for him to come here, I told him that I would bring you when you were ready.” Deaton shook his head, leaning against his desk and rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.

“Its okay, I guess. Just wasn't expecting him to be such an asshole.” Stiles muttered darkly, lifting his head finally and looking over the two older men. “You two okay?”

“I'll be fine, just a few bruises.” Peter replied easily from his spot slumped in the chair near the door, blue eyes sharp in his pale face.

“I'm quiet alright, thank you for asking. Are you two okay?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Stiles murmured, lifting a hand to rub under his eyes tiredly. “Do I really have to go, Derek?”

“Can we find you a different tribe?” The beta grumbled, pulling Stiles into his lap and holding him close, little aftershocks still running through his muscles.

“I'm afraid not. Another tribe would take him of course, but there is no guarantee they would treat him well. At least with chief Gajos he will be well looked after and treated with respect, it is not the same in other tribes.”

“What do you mean?” Derek asked, frowning up at the emissary as Stiles clutched at the front of his shirt.

“Some tribes are of the idea that because a male is capable of bearing life, that is all they are good for. Stiles would be treated like a slave, allowed to do little more than bolster the numbers of the tribe.”

“Like a broodmare.” Peter spit out, nose wrinkled and expression disgusted.

“Very much so, Gajos may seem like a bully but he is very progressive with his tribe. They don't spend much time with humans but he is well known for protecting his own, Stiles will be treated like royalty. Gajos' mate is a very mild woman, she will most likely be put in charge of Stiles' care, I doubt he'll even see his grandfather much while he's with the tribe.” Deaton said calmly, looking down at the mess of glass on his floor.

“I still don't like his attitude,” Derek muttered, rubbing a hand up and down Stiles' back gently as the tremors in both of them finally began to ease.

“Yeah, I'm not fond of it either, but I don't have much of a choice here.” Stiles sighed, lips pursed as he sat up in Derek's embrace and stretched his arms over his head, yawning widely. “And now I'm even more tired than I was before, ugh.”

“Take a nap, you need all the rest you can get Stiles, none of us expect you to be on your feet running about. You need to regain your strength as much as you can, while you can.” Deaton said gently, going down the hall to a closet and returning with a broom and dustpan, working to clean the glass up.

“I know, but I feel like I've been sleeping for days as it is.” Stiles huffed, only fighting Derek a little as the beta lowered him back to the cot and helped him get comfortable. “Alright, alright. Sheesh, so pushy.”

“You bet I am. I finally get the chance to tell you what to do, I'm going to take it.” Derek grinned brightly as the merman snorted in amusement, amber eyes already closed and one slender hand curling around Derek's nearest wrist.

“Stay till I fall asleep?” The brunette asked softly, sending a quick glance up at the other teen before closing his eyes once more when Derek nodded.

“Sure thing Stiles, I'm not going anywhere.” Derek murmured, turning to rest his weight against the cot and carding the fingers of his free hand through Stiles' messy brown hair.

“You were very brave, nephew.” Peter commented after long minutes in silence, Deaton removing himself from the room with the derbies of his mirror and pulling the door closed before the teen could respond. “It was very dangerous for you to stand up to the chief like that, he could have killed you.”

“What's your point? You know how much I hate bullies, he was no different than the jerks at school, I don't let any of them get away with it either.” Derek muttered, turning slightly so he could see the older man with out having to twist awkwardly.

“Maybe so, but they are all human, or at the very least much weaker than you are. Chief Gajos is neither of those, he could have hurt you, if not taken your life for your insolence. It would have caused quiet a bit of an issue with the Hale pack, but I believe his tribe is more than big enough to withstand our ire.” Peter rubbed a hand under his jaw thoughtfully, blue eyes narrowed as Derek snorted.

“You stepped between him and Stiles too, nice try though uncle Peter.”

“Well yes, but I'm older and more experienced-.”

“Bullshit.” Derek shot the older man a hard look, shaking his head. “We both know you were just trying to buy me time, buy us both time. He could have done a lot worse than he did, but Stiles stood up to him, which he had every right to do. He was in our territory, Stiles' territory, you don't come to another alpha's land and act like that. If he'd hurt any of us the entire territory would have been on him, I don't care how big his tribe is, it would have been a stupid move.”

“I suppose that's true. You do pay attention to your lessons, I thought you were just doodling in your notebook.” Peter smirked as Derek blushed, the younger beta dropping his gaze in embarrassment.

“I just get bored. Everybody knows Laura isn't going to keep me as her second, she loves me, but having a second with blue eyes? Not the best idea, and she wants the pack to be like it is now with mom and dad leading it. Its honestly not the best setup, but its what she wants and who am I to go against that?” Derek shrugged, fiddling with the frayed cuff of his jeans, shoulders hunched.

“Be that as it may, unless your sister happens to meet someone soon, you will have to take on the role of second for a few years. I know that its not the position you want, you'd much rather avoid responsibility, no one faults you for that, but you do need to support her when the time comes. At the rate Talia is going, that could be much sooner than we expect.” Peter slumped back in his chair, exhaustion clear across his face. None of them had gotten anything that really resembled rest the past few days, between the fire and Stiles being kidnapped, there was too much to take care of to try and sleep.

“You should take a nap too uncle Peter, at least I got to sleep most of the night, I know you probably didn't.” Derek smiled as the older man yawned, ducking his head to hide the expression.

“We all need our rest, but I need to get back to the family and make sure everyone is alright. Talia and Nathan are at work so Maria is tending to the children, I'm sure Laura is helping, but that's a bit much for just the two of them. I ask that you stay here, if you need to get back to the hotel, please call me, I don't want you walking around on your own, its not safe.” Peter stood up with a quiet groan, dusting off his slacks and straightening his wrinkled shirt the best he could.

“Do you really think mom is going to take us all to New York?” Derek kept his voice low, not daring to raise his head when he heard his uncle's breathing stutter for a second.

“I don't know. Your father and I are trying to convince her otherwise, but you know how she is. Even Laura is making it known she doesn't approve of the move, maybe I can mention that Stiles will be leaving, I just might forget that he will be coming back eventually.” Peter smirked as Derek chuckled, both beta's looking hopeful for a moment before the younger bowed his head once more.

“I'm scared.” Derek whispered, almost too quietly for his uncle to hear, eyes focused on the slumbering merman beside him as he gently cupped a smooth cheek and rubbed his thumb over Stiles' prominent cheekbone.

“We all are Derek. I know that isn't very reassuring, but it is the truth. Your parents and I will do what we can to keep all of you safe, but you and Laura are more than old enough to defend yourselves and the little ones. I know its a big responsibility, and for that I'm sorry, but with hunters here, we don't have much of a choice.” Peter sighed, walking slowly across the room and crouching down before the teen.

“I don't mind helping, its not that. I just-.”

“I understand Derek, you don't have to explain anything to me. A lot has been going on the last few years, this is just one more and it may be the hardest we've faced yet. I need you to be strong, and so does Stiles, he cares about you a great deal. You're probably the only reason he's willingly going to the tribe, you realize that right?”

“Yeah, I know. I hate myself a little for forcing the issue, but I understand that he needs this, more than he needs me right now. Maybe when he's better things will be different, maybe not, but I'm not going to risk his health anymore than he already has. He's too important.” Derek smiled wistfully down at the serene face of his friend, watching as his eyes flicked from side to side beneath his lids.

“I'm glad you've accepted that Derek, I'm glad you've found someone while you're still so young, its important. It will be difficult while he's gone, but you're strong, you can handle his absence while he gets better.” Peter squeezed the teen's shoulder before getting to his feet and heading for the door. “Get some rest nephew, you're going to need it.”

“Bye uncle Peter, thank you.” Derek called softly, never lifting his eyes from his friend as he settled down to sleep beside him once more, eyes already heavy lidded as a yawn cracked his jaw.

“I'll see you later Derek, sleep well pup.” Peter murmured, eyes soft as he watched over the teens for a long moment until Derek slipped into unconsciousness.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter doesn't have much, so I apologize for that, and chapter five is going to take me a little while longer to get posted, real life is biting me in the bum.


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